Israel Security Cabinet approves PM Netanyahu’s Gaza strip takeover plan

Israel’s government has approved a plan to expand its war in Gaza by seizing control of Gaza City, a move Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says is crucial to defeating Hamas but which comes against the recommendations of senior military leaders. The decision was made early Friday after 10 hours of deliberations, with a majority of the security cabinet supporting Netanyahu’s proposal.

The plan sets the stage for Israeli forces to push deeper into central areas of the enclave where Hamas is believed to be holding hostages. While the government’s statement did not explicitly promise operations in those zones, it outlined a goal of securing a decisive victory over Hamas, the group behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. It also pledged to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat areas.

The cabinet approved five guiding principles for ending the conflict: disarming Hamas, securing the release of all 50 hostages (20 believed alive), demilitarizing Gaza, establishing Israeli security control, and creating a new civilian administration that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

The push into Gaza City is expected to take days to organize, requiring reserve call-ups, troop repositioning, and the evacuation of tens of thousands of Palestinians from potential combat zones. Analysts suggest the move could be intended to pressure Hamas into concessions in stalled cease-fire talks. Recent proposals from U.S. and Israeli officials have hinted at an “all-or-nothing” deal, hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and an end to the war, conditions Hamas has not agreed to.

Israel’s military says it already controls roughly 75% of Gaza. The remaining area, stretching from Gaza City to Khan Younis, holds much of the enclave’s displaced population. Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday that Israel intended to take control of all of Gaza, saying the move would secure Israel’s safety, remove Hamas from power, and pave the way for transferring governance to “Arab forces.” He emphasized, however, that Israel does not plan permanent rule.

Hamas condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as a setback to negotiations, accusing him of revealing his “true motives.” The plan also risks further straining relations with international allies urging an end to the nearly two-year conflict, particularly amid a worsening hunger crisis in Gaza.

Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has reportedly opposed the expansion, citing troop exhaustion and concerns about governing millions of Palestinians. Military leaders favor a cease-fire over intensified fighting, but Netanyahu’s cabinet rejected that approach, insisting it would not secure Hamas’s defeat or the hostages’ release.