Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that a partial ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas is no longer on the table, saying the focus remains on achieving a comprehensive agreement “on our terms.”

Speaking to Israeli broadcaster i24 on Tuesday, Netanyahu said the “possibility of a partial agreement is behind us,” rejecting criticism from opposition leaders and former senior military officials who accuse him of stalling. He insisted the war’s objectives remain unchanged — ending the conflict, defeating Hamas, and securing the release of all hostages in a single, final arrangement.

“I’m not going back to partial agreements,” Netanyahu said, accusing Hamas of misleading Israel, without elaborating.

His remarks came shortly after he announced plans to expand Israel’s military campaign beyond Gaza City into the last areas outside Israeli control. These zones now shelter most of Gaza’s estimated 2 million residents, who face worsening humanitarian conditions amid severe shortages caused by Israel’s blockade.

Separately, the Israeli military said Tuesday it had killed five “armed militants disguised as aid workers” in a drone strike last week in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. The individuals were reportedly near a vehicle marked with the emblem of the World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian group operating in Gaza.

Drone footage released by the military showed the men in yellow vests standing by the vehicle. The army claimed they posed a threat to Israeli forces, though no soldiers were visible and the men were not seen aiming weapons. The military alleged the attackers used the aid markings to conceal their activity.

The WCK has not issued a public response, and Hamas has not commented. The group’s operations in Gaza have been heavily restricted since the war began in October 2023.