Netanyahu Warns Hamas, Offers Incentives for Hostage Release

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a stern warning to Hamas on Tuesday during a visit to the Netzarim Corridor, a strategic area dividing Gaza’s northern and southern regions. Netanyahu pledged relentless action against those harming Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip while offering significant incentives for their release.

“To those who are holding our hostages: Whoever dares to harm our captives his blood is on his own head. We will pursue you, and we will get you,” Netanyahu declared in a video recorded along Gaza’s Mediterranean coastline. He also extended a unique offer, promising safe passage for anyone who assists in returning a hostage, along with a $5 million reward per person. “You choose the choice is yours but the result will be the same. We will return everyone,” he said.

Netanyahu was joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar during the visit. Katz reiterated that the rescue of the remaining 101 hostages, still in captivity after 410 days, remains the IDF’s highest priority. He underscored the broader mission to dismantle Hamas’s military and governmental infrastructure to ensure the terror group no longer governs Gaza.

“We need to make sure that Hamas does not rule here ‘the day after,’” Katz stated, emphasizing the IDF’s commitment to completing its mission.

The prime minister later attended an assessment at the IDF’s Gaza Division headquarters, where he reviewed operational developments in the ongoing war. Netanyahu has been vocal about Hamas’s obstruction of hostage negotiations, accusing the group of using captives as leverage to secure a deal that would end the war and allow it to regain control of Gaza.

“Hamas continues to frustrate ongoing talks,” Netanyahu said, noting that the terror group has refused to provide information on the hostages’ status or location, particularly for those holding U.S. citizenship. Mediators from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have faced repeated setbacks in their indirect negotiations with Hamas.

On Monday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for decisive action, suggesting that Israel occupy northern Gaza until the hostages are returned. “Jerusalem needs to inform Hamas in clear terms that if the hostages do not return, we exercise our sovereignty and stay there forever,” Smotrich said, advocating for pressure to ensure hostages remain alive.

Hamas’s actions on October 7, 2023, claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 Israelis, wounded thousands more, and resulted in the abduction of 251 individuals. While efforts to secure their release continue, Netanyahu’s latest remarks underline Israel’s dual approach: unrelenting pressure on Hamas and incentives for those willing to assist in bringing captives home.