Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced two conflicting moves at the same time: a plan to launch a military takeover of Gaza City and a push to restart ceasefire negotiations to free the remaining hostages.
The announcement, made to Israeli military officials, has drawn sharp criticism internationally and it comes at a moment when new leaked data raises serious questions about the true civilian cost of the war.
Two Opposite Decisions, Announced Together
Netanyahu confirmed he would “approve plans” for an expanded military operation targeting Gaza City, which the Israeli military considers the last major stronghold of Hamas.
At the same time, he said he had ordered officials to “begin immediate negotiations” Israel’s first formal response to a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt and Qatar, which Hamas reportedly accepted earlier that week.
To many observers, the two announcements appear contradictory. How do you launch a major assault and negotiate peace at the same time?
Netanyahu has long argued that military pressure and diplomacy work together that without continued military force, Hamas has no reason to agree to a deal. Critics, however, say escalating the offensive while talking peace sends a confusing and dangerous message.
Leaked Data: 83% of Those Killed Were Civilians
The military announcement comes alongside a deeply troubling revelation.
A joint investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call has uncovered a classified Israeli military intelligence database that paints a starkly different picture of the war’s human cost than what has been officially stated.
The key findings, based on data current as of May 2025:
- 53,000 total deaths recorded by Gaza health authorities at the time
- 8,900 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) fighters listed in the database as dead or “probably dead”
- That means roughly 83% of those killed were civilians not combatants
This directly contradicts statements from Israeli officials, who have repeatedly claimed a much lower civilian to combatant ratio sometimes as low as 1 civilian for every 1 fighter killed, or 2 to 1 at most.
Conflict researchers and humanitarian organizations have described an 83% civilian casualty rate as unusually high by any modern warfare standard. Few recent conflicts have seen a ratio this severe.
When confronted with the findings, an Israeli military spokesperson did not deny the database existed, nor did they dispute the fighter casualty figures specifically. Instead, the spokesperson issued a statement saying the “figures presented in the article are incorrect” without providing any alternative numbers.
Gaza Is Now Facing Famine
Beyond the death toll, the humanitarian situation on the ground is at a breaking point.
A UN backed report has formally declared a famine in and around Gaza City. Projections warn that famine conditions will spread to other parts of the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks if the situation does not change.
Aid organizations have been explicit: any further military offensive in Gaza City, one of the most densely populated areas in the world would be catastrophic for the civilians still living there.
What Happens Next
The convergence of these developments a planned offensive, cautious diplomacy, a leaked casualty database, and a declared famine reflects just how deeply complicated and painful this conflict has become.
The decisions made in the coming days by both Israel and Hamas will carry enormous consequences not just for the people of Gaza, but for the broader stability of the Middle East.
The world is watching closely
