Netanyahu announces plan to seize all of Gaza in renewed military offensive
Israel’s security cabinet has approved a military plan to escalate its offensive against Hamas, which includes capturing parts of Gaza and maintaining control over the territory, according to an Israeli official.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the cabinet’s decision as a “forceful operation” aimed at dismantling Hamas and rescuing the remaining hostages.
He stated that Gaza’s 2.1 million residents would be “moved, to protect them,” though he did not specify how much territory would be occupied or for how long. He emphasized, however, that Israeli forces “will not enter and come out” — suggesting a prolonged presence.
Despite months of intensive conflict, Netanyahu has yet to achieve his stated war aims of defeating Hamas and returning all Israeli hostages captured during the group’s attacks on 7 October 2023.
The military plan, developed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi and approved by the cabinet early on Monday, outlines a strategy that includes the capture of Gaza, relocation of its civilian population to the south for safety, and measures to prevent Hamas from accessing humanitarian aid.
According to an Israeli official, the intention is to strip Hamas of its control over life-sustaining resources, which Israel claims are being diverted to bolster the group’s rule.
While Israel has indicated plans to eventually allow aid to be distributed, it has not set a timetable. The UK government has reiterated its opposition to any escalation, stating it “does not support an expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza”. The European Union has also called for restraint, expressing concern over the impact on civilian lives.
Humanitarian organisations have reacted with alarm. The United Nations, which rejected an earlier Israeli proposal to distribute aid through military-controlled “hubs”, has condemned the new plan, stating it is in violation of international humanitarian principles.
Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said the proposed aid delivery method would likely prevent assistance from reaching the most vulnerable, particularly those unable to travel to collection points.
The latest military strategy also includes the mobilisation of tens of thousands of reservists, reinforcing reports that a ground incursion into southern Gaza is imminent.
Since October 7, over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. The UN and other agencies have warned that further displacement of civilians — many of whom are already living in makeshift camps in southern Gaza — could worsen what is already a severe humanitarian emergency.
As both military preparations and humanitarian concerns intensify, the international community continues to urge a resolution that protects civilians and upholds international law.
Right- and left-leaning media are once again starkly divided on the announcement, in a shocking display of bias.
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