Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he will instruct the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this week to fulfill three key war objectives in Gaza "without exception," even as the humanitarian situation worsens and deaths from starvation and malnutrition continue to rise.

During his weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said he will convene the Security Cabinet later this week to decide the IDF's next move for achieving the three war objectives – "defeating the enemy, releasing our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will never again threaten Israel."

His remarks come amid growing speculation over Israel's next moves following the collapse of indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. Citing an official in Netanyahu's office, Israel's Channel 12 reported that the prime minister is leaning toward expanding the offensive and seizing full control of the Gaza Strip.

Over the weekend, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with families of Israeli hostages and said Washington is working with the Israeli government on a plan to end the conflict. A senior Israeli official later said that a shared understanding was taking shape between the U.S. and Israel, following Netanyahu's meeting with Witkoff.

Both sides reportedly agreed on the need to transition from a temporary truce to a broader agreement aimed at securing the release of all hostages, disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt endorsed a joint declaration by France and Saudi Arabia supporting a roadmap toward a two-state solution. The plan calls on Hamas to relinquish its weapons and cede control to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.

While Hamas has repeatedly said it won't lay down arms, three officials from the group told mediators it is open to stepping aside for a non-partisan governing body in Gaza. However, Hamas insists that any post-war arrangement must be agreed upon among the Palestinians themselves and not dictated by foreign powers.

Aid deliveries lag as crisis worsens

Despite ongoing international aid efforts, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with aid groups citing Israel's tight border restrictions as a major bottleneck.

On Monday, the Israeli military said 120 aid packages were airdropped into Gaza by the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Germany, Belgium and Canada – marking Canada's first participation in such operations.

The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) said a new convoy of 38 aid trucks crossed into Gaza on Monday via the King Hussein Bridge. However, the group noted that only 294 out of 452 planned Jordanian trucks have been allowed to enter over the past two weeks due to Israeli restrictions.

JHCO Secretary-General Hussein Al-Shebli said medical equipment continues to be blocked, and inspection procedures have significantly delayed deliveries – with a single convoy now taking up to 38 hours to reach Gaza.

According to Gaza's government media office, only 80 aid trucks entered the enclave on Sunday, bringing the total number of trucks allowed in since July 27 to 674 – far below the 4,800 that were expected in that period. The office stated that at least 600 trucks per day are needed to meet basic humanitarian needs and accused Israel of "perpetuating a policy of starvation and chaos."

Gaza's health authorities reported on Monday that at least 9,440 Palestinians have been killed and 37,986 injured since Israel resumed intensive strikes on March 18. Since the conflict began in October 2023, the death toll has reached 60,933, with more than 150,000 injured.

The Health Ministry also reported five new deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of such fatalities to 180 since October – including 93 children.

(With input from agencies)