Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a rare visit to Gaza Tuesday, April 15, his office announced, as the military pressed on with its air and ground assault against the Palestinian territory. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the northern Gaza Strip today," a statement from his office said.
Netanyahu said during his visit that Israel would press on with its military offensive against Hamas to secure the release of hostages. "They are striking the enemy and Hamas will continue to suffer blow after blow. We insist that they release our hostages, and we insist on achieving all of our war objectives," Netanyahu told troops in Gaza, according to a statement from his office.
The military resumed its offensive on Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had largely halted the fighting in the war-battered territory. Since then, Israeli forces have seized large parts of the territory as hundreds of thousands of people fled from areas where the military intensified its assault.
Senior Israeli officials including Netanyahu have repeatedly said that only military pressure would force Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages held in Gaza.