Prominent Egyptian journalist and Member of Parliament Mostafa Bakry has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, calling his belief in forcing Palestinian submission through occupation and destruction “a dangerous illusion.”
In remarks posted on his official X account (formerly Twitter), Bakry responded to the latest Israeli military losses in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, where four Israeli soldiers were killed on Friday. “The catastrophe of the Israeli dead in Khan Yunis confirms that the Palestinian people will not kneel,” he wrote, adding, “Resistance will endure so long as Palestinian rights continue to be denied.”
Bakry went further, saying Netanyahu is “deluded” if he believes that Gaza’s occupation and the large-scale killing of its people will pave the way for peace or surrender. “The Palestinian people do not recognise defeat or collapse,” he said. “Lasting peace will only be possible through the return of stolen rights and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”
His comments came shortly after the Israeli army confirmed that four of its soldiers had died in the Bani Suheila neighbourhood of Khan Yunis when a building collapsed following an explosive detonation. Among the dead were Reserve Major General Chen Gros, 33, and Sergeant Yoav River, 19, both part of elite units within the Israeli forces. Two additional soldiers were also killed, though their identities have not yet been made public.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth, the latest deaths bring the total number of Israeli military personnel killed since the war began in Gaza to 866.
Responding to Friday’s casualties, Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades — the armed wing of Hamas — stated that the resistance’s operations in Khan Yunis and Jabalia were part of a sustained strategy aimed at inflicting maximum pressure on Israeli forces. In a message posted on Telegram, he warned: “The Israeli public must confront their leadership with a choice — end the war of annihilation or prepare to bury more soldiers.”
The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with no clear end in sight as hostilities continue to claim lives on both sides. Yet, as voices like Bakry’s echo across the region, a growing chorus is questioning the long-term strategy and consequences of Israel’s military campaign.
