Israel’s political-security cabinet approved a controversial plan early Friday to take control of Gaza City. This decision follows statements from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicating Israel’s intent to extend its military operations across the entire Gaza Strip, despite facing mounting criticism both domestically and internationally over the war that has ravaged the region for nearly two years.
“The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” Netanyahu’s office declared, a move that suggests a dual approach to military objectives and efforts to mitigate humanitarian fallout.
Located in the northern part of the enclave, Gaza City is the largest urban centre in the territory and has been a focal point of conflict. Axios reporter Barak Ravid reported that according to an Israeli official, the plan involves evacuating Palestinian civilians from the city ahead of launching a ground offensive there.
In a recent interview with Fox News Channel’s Bill Hemmer, Netanyahu articulated a clear intent to take over the coastal territory, stating, “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it.” However, he refrained from detailing how this governance transfer would occur or which Arab entities might be involved.
This announcement comes on the heels of a tense meeting with military leaders, where head of the Israeli military Eyal Zamir reportedly expressed reservations about expanding Israel’s ground campaign in the besieged region. Nonetheless, the political-security cabinet concluded that alternative strategies would likely fail to defeat Hamas or secure the release of hostages held by the militant group.
According to two government sources, the security cabinet’s resolution will require further approval from the full cabinet, which might convene on Sunday. Among the strategies under consideration is the phased takeover of Gaza regions not currently under military control, potentially allowing evacuation warnings to be issued to civilians, projected to give them weeks to flee before military action ensues.
Should Israel proceed with this plan, it would effectively reverse a 2005 decision to withdraw citizens and soldiers from Gaza while maintaining oversight of its borders and utilities. Right-wing factions have long held that this withdrawal enabled Hamas’s ascendancy to power in the territory following the 2006 election.
As the international community closely monitors the situation, the prospect of prolonged military engagement raises concerns. Hamas condemned Netanyahu’s statements as “a blatant coup against the negotiation process,” emphasising that his plans signify a disregard for the lives of their captives and an escalation of hostilities.
A Jordanian official remarked that Arab nations would only endorse decisions made by the Palestinians, advocating for the governance of Gaza to be managed by “legitimate Palestinian institutions.” Hamas official Osama Hamdan urged that any foreign force aimed at governing Gaza would be considered an occupying entity tied to Israel’s actions.
Earlier this year, attempts to adopt an administrative process led by independent Palestinian technocrats for governing Gaza were rejected by both Israel and the United States, further complicating efforts to establish a stable administration in the territory.
Public sentiment in Israel appears conflicted, with opinion polling indicating that a significant majority desire a resolution that includes the release of remaining hostages rather than an extended military campaign. Meanwhile, the White House has yet to comment on Israel’s purported full military takeover of Gaza.
The ongoing war, which reignited following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023, has seen Netanyahu’s government declare a steadfast commitment to obliterating Hamas, even as humanitarian concerns soar. The United Nations has characterised reports concerning an escalation of Israeli military operations in Gaza as “deeply alarming”.