Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to propose a complete reoccupation of the Gaza Strip during his upcoming meeting with the security cabinet, according to reports from Israeli media.
The decision has been made. A senior official has reportedly stated, “We are pursuing the complete conquest of the Gaza Strip and the defeat of Hamas,” according to local journalists.
An unnamed official has responded to reports indicating that the army chief and other military leaders are against the plan, stating, “If that doesn’t work for the chief of staff, he should resign.”
Families of hostages express concern that proposed plans may jeopardize the safety of their loved ones, as reports indicate that 20 out of 50 are believed to be alive in Gaza. Meanwhile, recent polls reveal that three out of four Israelis support a ceasefire agreement aimed at securing their return.
Numerous allies of Israel are expected to denounce such a decision, as they advocate for an end to the conflict and measures to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
In a significant move, hundreds of retired Israeli security officials, among them former leaders of intelligence agencies, have collectively addressed a letter to US President Donald Trump. The correspondence, dated Monday, urges the President to exert pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.
In an interview with the media, Ami Ayalon, a former chief of the domestic intelligence agency and one of the signatories, expressed that additional military action would be ineffective.
“From a military perspective, [Hamas] has been completely dismantled.” Conversely, this ideology is gaining increasing traction among the Palestinian populace, resonating within the broader Arab community and extending its influence in the Islamic world.
“The only viable approach to countering Hamas’s ideology is to offer a more promising vision for the future.”
Recent events have unfolded following the collapse of indirect negotiations with Hamas regarding a ceasefire and a potential hostage agreement. In a concerning turn, Palestinian armed groups have disseminated three videos showcasing two Israeli hostages appearing frail and in poor condition.
The recent footage featuring Rom Blaslavski and Evyatar David, who were abducted from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, has elicited widespread shock and outrage among the Israeli public. David is depicted excavating what he claims to be his own grave within an underground tunnel.
Recent media announcements have sparked speculation regarding their potential role as a pressure tactic aimed at compelling Hamas to engage in a new agreement.
According to Israel’s military, operational control of 75% of Gaza has already been established. However, the proposed plan would extend its reach across the entire territory, encroaching upon regions currently inhabited by over two million Palestinians.
The implications for civilians, as well as for the operations of the UN and various aid organisations, remain uncertain. Approximately 90% of Gaza’s population, totalling 2.1 million individuals, has been displaced, with many experiencing multiple displacements, and currently residing in overcrowded and dire conditions. Humanitarian organisations and United Nations representatives report that numerous individuals are facing starvation, attributing the obstruction of essential aid distribution to Israel.
The Israeli military has refrained from advancing into specific regions, notably parts of central Gaza, based on the belief that hostages may be alive in those areas. In a tragic turn of events last year, six Israeli hostages were executed by their captors following the incursion of ground forces.
Officials from the Palestinian Authority, which oversees portions of the occupied West Bank, have publicly condemned the Israeli proposal. They are urging the international community to take action to avert any further military occupation.
Palestinians highlight that far-right Israeli ministers have been vocally supporting the complete occupation and annexation of Gaza, with intentions to establish new Jewish settlements in the region.
In 2005, Israel executed a significant policy shift by dismantling settlements in the Gaza Strip and withdrawing its military presence from the region.
However, in conjunction with Egypt, it exercised stringent control over access to the territory.
The recent proposal for a new occupation emerges in the context of increasing global efforts to reinvigorate the two-state solution, a longstanding international framework aimed at addressing the enduring Israel-Palestinian conflict. The proposal outlines the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that would coexist with Israel, situated in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem designated as its capital.
In a significant diplomatic development, the UK and Canada have aligned with France in unveiling conditional plans aimed at recognising a Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister of Israel is set to convene with essential ministers and military officials to determine the forthcoming actions regarding Gaza. Israeli army radio reports that discussions are set to take place regarding preliminary military strategies aimed at encircling central refugee camps, alongside plans for air strikes and ground operations.
Prime Minister Netanyahu announced plans to hold a comprehensive security cabinet meeting within the week.
Commentators in Israeli media have expressed scepticism, highlighting the significant military, political, and diplomatic challenges at play. Nahum Barnea, in an article for Yedioth Ahronoth, asserts that “Netanyahu has never taken a gamble on this scale before.”
The Israeli Prime Minister has reiterated his commitment to fulfilling all of his war objectives, according to his statements.
After 22 months of intense and violent conflict, scepticism surrounds the credibility of such promises. Netanyahu appears to have a singular focus in the ongoing conflict in Gaza: to extend the duration of the war.
In a significant escalation of conflict, Israel initiated a military offensive in Gaza following a deadly attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. This assault resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, with 251 others reportedly taken hostage and transported to Gaza.
The Hamas-run health ministry reports that Israeli forces have killed at least 61,020 Palestinians in Gaza since that time.
