Expanding Military Actions in Gaza Now Confirmed by Israel
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved a plan for a full military takeover of Gaza City and potentially the entire Gaza Strip. The aim is to defeat Hamas and establish an alternative civilian administration [1][2][3].
This decision, announced nearly 22 months after the start of the conflict, could result in the forcible displacement of up to 800,000 civilians from Gaza City by 7 October 2025. The military control could last several months, during which Palestinian armed groups would be cleared from central Gaza camps [2].
The United Nations and international authorities have strongly opposed this escalation, warning that a full Israeli military control and occupation of Gaza would cause "massive forced displacement," widespread killing, immense suffering, and likely atrocity crimes. These actions, they argue, violate international law and particularly the International Court of Justice rulings related to the occupation and the two-State solution [1][2].
The UN has called for an immediate halt to the military takeover plan, full humanitarian aid access into Gaza, and the immediate unconditional release of all hostages held by Palestinian armed groups, alongside the release of Palestinians detained by Israel [1][2].
The plan endorsed by Netanyahu signals a major shift towards occupation but carries risks of a prolonged and intensified conflict, including a likely extended insurgency in Gaza. There is international concern that military pressure alone has failed to secure hostage releases or destroy Hamas. Alternative diplomatic approaches discussed include an "all-for-all" hostage exchange, cessation of hostilities, increased humanitarian access, and eventual Israeli withdrawal tied to introducing an interim Arab security force [3].
The Gaza War, triggered by an attack on Israel by Hamas and Islamic terrorist organizations on October 7, 2023, has already resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. As of now, there are approximately 50 hostages in the hands of Hamas, with about 20 believed to still be alive [1].
The operation focuses exclusively on the city of Gaza in the northern part of the coastal area. Israel's security cabinet has approved a military operation to take the city, with the goal of evacuating the residents to refugee camps in the central section of the Gaza Strip by early October [2].
The mediating states of Qatar and Egypt are putting pressure on Hamas to return to the negotiating table. However, months of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a new ceasefire and the release of hostages had been unsuccessful [1].
Netanyahu stated that he wants to hand the Gaza Strip over to "Arab forces" and does not want to govern it. An alternative civilian government is to be established in the Gaza Strip [1]. Relatives of the abducted have spoken out against military rescue attempts and called for a settlement to end the war [1].
Israel does not want to permanently occupy Gaza, but wants to liberate it from Hamas, according to Netanyahu [3]. The UN and international aid organizations are warning of a potential famine in the besieged Gaza Strip, where approximately two million people live in catastrophic conditions [1].
Critics accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political reasons to please his coalition partners. Many aid supplies brought into the blocked area are being looted by civilians and armed groups [1]. The security cabinet decided on five principles to end the war in the Gaza Strip, including Israel's military control of the coastal area, the complete disarmament of Hamas, and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip [2].
The Prime Minister's plan, which includes a military takeover of Gaza City and potential control of the entire Gaza Strip, is amidst a barrage of political discussion and general news, as international authorities condemn it for causing mass displacement and violating international law. In the midst of the war-and-conflicts, the United Nations also calls for an immediate halt to the military operation, demanding full humanitarian aid access into Gaza and the unconditional release of hostages held by Palestinian armed groups.
