Israeli Cabinet Approves PM Netanyahu's Plan To Occupy Gaza City

Marking the latest escalation in the 22-month offensive launched on Gaza, Israel’s Security Cabinet on Friday approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to occupy Gaza City, CNN reported.

Ahead of the Security Cabinet meeting, which began Thursday and ran through the night, Netanyahu said Israel planned to retake control over the entire territory and eventually hand it off to friendly Arab forces opposed to Hamas.

However, the prime minister earlier said, "Our plan is not to occupy or annex Gaza. Our goal is to destroy Hamas and get our hostages back, and then hand over Gaza to a transitory government."

"We will never hand it (Gaza) over to the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. We will provide overall security. There will be a security perimeter provided by us," he said.

"We want to end the war very soon. It will be over speedily. If Hamas concedes and lays down their arms and frees hostages, it will be over tomorrow. Even Palestinians in Gaza are fighting Hamas," the Israeli prime minister said.

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) currently holds control over approximately 75 per cent of the Gaza Strip. However, the new approved plan is expected to empower the military to occupy the remaining territory as well, bringing the entire enclave under Israeli control.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Israel’s assault killed 23 people across the Gaza enclave. Since Wednesday, a total of 44 Palestinians and 18 aid seekers have been killed.

The number of people who have died from starvation and malnutrition has risen to 193, with 5 new hunger-related deaths occurring yesterday. The UN said Israel’s blockade of Gaza means the lives of more than 100 premature babies are in “imminent danger”, as a lack of fuel impedes “life-saving” operations in hospitals.

Israel launched the war in Gaza after Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, killed about 1,200 people. Hamas also took 251 people as hostages. However, the relentless escalations have so far killed at least 61,158 people and wounded 151,442.