Gaza war: Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu mulls 'Operation Swords of Iron' name change

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to change the name of Israel's devastating military offensive in Gaza, the country's public broadcaster has reported.

Netanyahu told ministers that the name 'Swords of Iron' is more suited to a short-term operation than to a war, Kan reported Sunday. 

Alternative names floated for the offensive include 'Gaza War', 'Genesis War', and 'Simchat Torah War', according to Kan.

Other ministers agree that the name should be changed, the broadcaster reported.

Both 'Genesis' and 'Simchat Torah' carry significant religious meaning.

Genesis is the name of the first book of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. It tells of the creation of the world and the origins of the Jewish people.

Simchat Torah is a holiday that marks the end of the public cycle of readings of the Torah, the Jewish holy book.

Palestinian group Hamas launched a large scale surprise attack on Israel on 7 October, during the Simchat Torah holiday, when Genesis is read. Israel launched its brutal onslaught on Gaza the same day.

Israel has so far killed more than 19,000 people in the Palestinian territory, and injured more than 50,000 in its brutal air and ground assault. The Israeli attack has destroyed homes, schools and hospitals and forced nearly 80 percent of the population to flee their homes. 

There are fears that Israel will try to permanently expel some or all of Gaza's population in a repetition of the 1948 Nakba.

Netanyahu appeared to prefer the name Genesis War over the other options, Times of Israel reported Kan as saying.