Report: This is the Country Operating Aircraft in Gaza to Locate Hostages

British army spy planes are circling in Gaza skies in an attempt to gather intelligence and assist Israel in finding hostages – this was reported today (Tuesday) in "The Times." The British government confirmed that the aircraft are conducting maneuvers in the skies in an attempt to extract information and discover the whereabouts of the hostages.

According to the report brought on Channel 12 News, the Ministry of Defense refuses to reveal which aircraft were sent to carry out the mission. However, flight tracking data showed that Shadow R1 aircraft carried out hundreds of missions over the Gaza Strip until recently, last month, after taking off from a Royal Air Force base stationed in Cyprus.

The Israeli government is convening this week to discuss the possibility of occupying the entire Gaza Strip, with the aim of eliminating the last pockets of Hamas resistance and possibly forcing a hostage deal or even freeing the hostages. According to sources from his office, the Prime Minister concluded from recent Hamas videos that there is no time to waste due to the increased starvation of the hostages, to the point that they appear skeletal and emaciated.

Despite this, Netanyahu faces serious opposition in his determination to push the offensive. Not only Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir but also Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly oppose a wholesale occupation of the Strip.

Thus far, however, international response to the reported plan has been relatively muted, certainly compared to the allegations of starvation and famine in the Gaza Strip in late July. This may change if and when the government as a whole approves such an operation.