Israel Intends to Reoccupy Gaza City, Intensifying the Conflict and Igniting Anxiety for Captives
Israel Prepares for Major Military Operation in Gaza City
Israel is set to intensify its 22-month war with Hamas by launching a large-scale military operation to take over Gaza City, scheduled to begin in October 2025. The objective of this operation is to defeat Hamas in Gaza, disarm them, release hostages, demilitarize the Gaza Strip, and establish Israeli security control with an alternative civilian administration not affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) plan to displace up to 800,000 civilians from Gaza City by October 7, 2025, many of whom have already been displaced previously. Following this, the IDF intends to surround Gaza City for about three months, then spend an additional two months securing central Gaza’s refugee camps and clearing armed Palestinian groups from the area.
This military escalation is expected to significantly worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that Israel’s plan risks "igniting another horrific chapter" by uprooting nearly a million people, compounding already dire conditions and creating vast civilian displacement and suffering. UN officials stress that this escalation could lead to catastrophic humanitarian consequences, especially with the scale of forced displacement and urban warfare.
The framework proposes the establishment of a Palestinian administration with a new police force, trained by two U.S. allies in the Middle East, to take over Gaza. However, the role of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority in the framework remains unclear.
Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy, has informed hostage families that Israel is shifting its approach to pursue a comprehensive "all-or-nothing" deal aimed at ending the war and securing the release of hostages. Israel's war has already killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas, and pushed the territory toward famine. The United Nations and independent experts view the ministry's figures as the most reliable estimate of casualties.
Israel already controls around three-quarters of Gaza, and it's unclear how many people are still in Gaza City, the territory's largest before the war. A major ground operation in Gaza City could displace tens of thousands of people and further disrupt efforts to deliver food to the hunger-stricken territory.
Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has reportedly warned that expanding operations would endanger the remaining 20 or so living hostages held by Hamas and further strain Israel's army after nearly two years of regional wars. The operation will likely require mobilizing thousands of troops and forcibly evacuating civilians.
The ceasefire efforts have the backing of major Arab Gulf monarchies. The yet-to-be finalized framework aims to address the issue of Hamas' weapons, with discussions about "freezing arms." The U.S. administration has been briefed on the broad lines of the framework.
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, September 1). Israel plans to take over Gaza City, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/01/israel-plans-to-take-over-gaza-city-displacing-hundreds-of-thousands-of-palestinians [2] Al Jazeera. (2025, September 2). UN warns of catastrophic consequences from Israel's Gaza City takeover plan. Al Jazeera English. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/2/un-warns-of-catastrophic-consequences-from-israels-gaza-city-takeover-plan
- The United Nations has expressed concern that Israel's planned military operation in Gaza City could escalate the already dire humanitarian crisis, given the potential for vast civilian displacement and suffering.
- Political discussions surrounding the establishment of a new Palestinian administration in Gaza, to be trained by US allies, are underway in the context of the ongoing war and hostage situation, with a focus on addressing the issue of Hamas' weapons and achieving a comprehensive peace deal.
