Najjar was involved in the invasion of the Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest hit during the deadly Oct. 7 attacks, where Bibas was kidnapped. Bibas’ family was kidnapped separately and was eventually murdered while in captivity.

Families of hostages fear the coming offensive further endangers the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, just 20 of them thought to still be alive.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets on Sunday, launching a nationwide grassroots strike and widespread protests to demand the government secure the release of 50 hostages still in Gaza.

Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas.

Israel’s plan is more about mass displacement of Palestinians, using the threat of invasion in negotiations, and Netanyahu’s political survival, say experts - Anadolu Ajansı

Hamas said that Israel's plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a "new wave of genocide and displacement" for hundreds of thousands.

Israel is letting some supplies into the Gaza Strip but not enough to avert widespread starvation, said the United Nations human rights office on Tuesday. "In the past few weeks, Israeli authorities have only allowed aid to enter in quantities that remain far below what would be required to avert widespread starvation,