Israel Prepares to Deploy 400,000 Troops for Potential Full Control of Gaza Strip in Approximately Weeks, Per Prime Minister Netanyahu's War-Ending Strategy
In early August 2025, Israel's security cabinet approved a contentious plan for a phased offensive in the Gaza Strip, aiming to establish a full military occupation. The operation, expected to last several months, could forcibly displace around 1 million Palestinian civilians from Gaza City and surrounding areas [1][2][4].
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated goal is to "free Gaza from Hamas" and dismantle the militant group's strongholds [3]. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) aims to expand the war and take over Gaza City and some central camps.
Israel's five-step plan for Gaza includes:
- Disarming Hamas to eliminate their military capacity.
- Returning all hostages, both living and deceased, currently held by Hamas.
- Demilitarizing the Gaza Strip to prevent any future armed threat.
- Maintaining full Israeli security control over Gaza even after the war concludes.
- Establishing an alternative civilian government in Gaza, independent from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, with governance assumed by unnamed Arab forces perceived as more moderate [1].
The plan involves eviction or forced displacement orders to clear civilians from combat zones, followed by ground offensives to seize and control key Gaza areas. This approach has drawn international criticism due to the severe humanitarian impact, including widespread displacement, destruction, and risks of war crimes [3][5].
The UN has warned that Gaza faces "starvation" and "calamity," and the UK has threatened to recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel takes "substantive steps" to improve the situation in Gaza [6]. The Israeli government's actions have been criticized by international leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the UN Security Council [7].
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has been granted permission to call up military reservists until November 30 [8]. The Israeli cabinet has signed off on a roadmap that leaves no room for compromise with Hamas [9].
In a tragic turn of events, five journalists working for Al Jazeera were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City [10]. The IDF aims to establish secure corridors and safe zones for civilians to leave the area [11]. Israel plans to increase aid deliveries significantly and establish more humanitarian aid distribution centers in non-combat zones [12].
As the situation in Gaza unfolds, it remains uncertain how the conflict will end and what the long-term consequences will be for both Israelis and Palestinians. However, one thing is clear: the current plan for a full military occupation is causing widespread concern and opposition both within and outside Israel.
References:
- Haaretz
- The Times of Israel
- Al Jazeera
- Reuters
- Amnesty International
- BBC
- The Guardian
- Ynet News
- Jerusalem Post
- Associated Press
- Ma'an News Agency
- UN OCHA
- The controversial Israeli plan for a phased offensive in Gaza, involving war-and-conflicts and politics, has drawn criticism from international leaders due to concerns about its humanitarian impact, specifically the war-and-conflicts zone expansion and the potential displacement of up to 1 million Palestinians.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza, fueled by politics, has led to a surge in general news coverage, particularly surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stated goal to "free Gaza from Hamas" and the Israeli Defense Force's (IDF) aims to establish secure corridors and safe zones for civilian evacuation.
