According to reports from multiple Israeli media outlets on the 21st, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu made a video statement on the same day announcing that he had approved the military plan to take control of Gaza City and “defeat Hamas” simultaneously.
Netanyahu stated that he had also instructed the immediate resumption of negotiations with Hamas in order to release all detained personnel and end the conflict. On the 21st local time, it was reported that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in a media interview on the same day that Israel would take control of the Gaza Strip even if the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) agreed to a ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu said, “We will do it anyway, Israel will not let Hamas stay in Gaza.” On the same day, a senior official from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Mahmoud Mardavi, indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was the main obstacle to reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.