Israeli Cabinet Approves Plan To Capture “All Of Gaza”

Tel Aviv:

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain there for an unspecified amount of time, Associated Press reported, quoting two officials. If implemented, the plan could vastly expand Israel’s operations in the Palestinian territory, which would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis. Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote on Monday, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. 

The move is part of the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led government’s efforts to elevate pressure on Hamas to free hostages and negotiate a ceasefire on Israel’s terms. Officials told AP that the new plan is meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas. It would also push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza. 

Since a US-brokered truce deal between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have unleashed fierce strikes on the Palestinian territory, killing hundreds of people and capturing large swathes of land. Per reports, Israel now roughly controls 50 per cent of Gaza.

Even before the ceasefire agreement fell apart, Israel had halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza, including food, fuel and water, setting off what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war. 

What The Plan Says

According to Israeli officials, the plan included the “capturing of the strip and the holding of territories.” It would also seek to prevent the Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza. Israel has also accused Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolster its capabilities.

“The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets,” the officials said. One of the officials said the plan would be implemented gradually. 

The report said Israel was in touch with several countries about President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and relocate its population, under what Israel has termed “voluntary emigration”. However, the plan sparked condemnations from Israel’s allies in Europe and the Arab world.

For weeks, Israel has been trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas and prompt it to show more flexibility in ceasefire negotiations. But international mediators trying to bring the sides toward a new deal have struggled to do so. Israel’s measures do not appear to have moved Hamas away from its negotiating positions.

The previous ceasefire was meant to lead the sides to negotiate an end to the war, but that goal has been a repeated sticking point in talks between Israel and Hamas. Israel says it won’t agree to end the war until Hamas is defeated. Hamas, meanwhile, has demanded an agreement that winds down the war.