Plan Approved: Israel to Fully Occupy Gaza

(Patria) - The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to take military control of the Gaza Strip, a move that signifies a major new escalation in the war. The decision was made after a meeting that extended deep into the night, confirming that ending the conflict requires "complete security takeover of the Gaza Strip," writes Sky News.

Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu confirmed Israel's intentions in an interview with Fox News. When asked if Israel would "take control of all of Gaza," he replied: "We intend, in order to ensure our security, to remove Hamas there and to liberate the population of Gaza."

He added that Israel does not wish to retain the territory but to establish a "security buffer" and hand over power to "Arab forces that will properly manage it."

Five Principles for Ending the War

Following the meeting, the Israeli Prime Minister's office announced that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will prepare to take control of the Gaza Strip, while simultaneously distributing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones. The Security Cabinet also adopted five principles for ending the war: disarmament of Hamas, return of all hostages, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security control over the Strip, and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

This plan has met with sharp criticism, including from the families of hostages held by Hamas. Einav Zangauker, mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, stated that Netanyahu had promised her he would work towards a release deal.

"Someone who talks about a comprehensive deal does not go and conquer the Strip and endanger hostages and soldiers," she wrote on social media platform X, adding: "Netanyahu and his partners are preparing to sentence [Matan] to death."

According to Israeli media reports, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Eyal Zamir, also warned against the occupation of Gaza, stating that it would endanger hostages and further burden the army. On the international front, a Jordanian official stated that Arabs "will only support what Palestinians agree on and decide" and that they "will not agree to Netanyahu's policy nor clean up his mess."

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, former president of the Middle East Policy Council, told Sky News that "very few people" believe the occupation plan is a good idea.

"It is difficult to contribute to the trauma and despair of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, but this will certainly do that," she said, emphasizing that new forced displacement will only worsen the suffering of the population.