Israeli government endorses aggressive military operation against Gaza region
Rewritten Article:
AFP, JERUSALEM
Israel's security cabinet greenlit an escalation of military actions in Gaza, aiming for complete conquest and territory dominance, according to an official statement yesterday. This decision followed the mobilization of tens of thousands of reservists to enact this offensive.
This move comes as a UN and humanitarian crisis alarms sound, predicting a worsening humanitarian disaster, with famine once more looming after over two months of a total Israeli blockade.
The strategy, approved in a late-night Cabinet meeting, includes holding territories in Gaza, and it coincides with a push by Israel for Gaza's populace to evacuate the territory.
Photo: AP
Operations across Gaza reignited on March 18, following a deadlock concerning the next steps for a two-month ceasefire that had primarily halted the ongoing conflict with Hamas, instigated by the militants’ October 2023 attack.
Since then, Israel has carried out extensive aerial bombardments and broadened ground operations throughout the Palestinian enclave, with Gaza rescuers reporting Israeli airstrikes killing at least 19 people in the north yesterday.
A Cabinet representative declared the plan for intensified operations will incorporate the "conquest of the Gaza Strip" and control of the occupied territories, along with the relocation of Gaza's citizenry southward for their protection.
Initially, Gaza's populace predominantly resided in the northern part of the territory, with the majority in Gaza City. However, nearly all have been displaced multiple times since the commencement of the conflict.
The Israeli cabinet, consisting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers, unanimously authorized the evacuation initiative, aimed at crushing Hamas—the rulers of Gaza—and securing the return of abducted hostages.
The representative confirmed that the plan entails "powerful strikes against Hamas," while shy of specifying their nature.
On Sunday, the Israeli Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, announced the mobilization of "tens of thousands" of reservists to bolster the offensive.
News outlets reported the plan wouldn’t be enacted until after US President Donald Trump's scheduled region visit next week.
As of Sunday, the Gaza health ministry acknowledged at least 2,436 casualties since Israel rekindled its campaign on March 18, raising the overall death toll from the conflict to 52,535.
In the dead of night, Israel's security council also approved the possibility of humanitarian aid distribution, if necessary, to preclude Hamas' control and disrupt their governance capabilities.
A coalition of UN entities and NGOs operating within the Palestinian territory accused Israel of seeking to dismantle the existing aid distribution system and coerce them to deliver aid through Israeli-controlled zones.
The Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory issued a statement, asserting that the proposed plan contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles by reinforcing control over life-sustaining items as part of a military strategy. The UN condemns the scheme and refuses to partake in it.
Hamas considered the new Israeli aid delivery plan as political manipulation and blamed Israel for the territory's ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. Conversely, Israel maintains there is sufficient food in Gaza, countering alarms from humanitarian organizations regarding the dire consequences of the blockade on Gaza's 2.4 million residents.
Desperate Gaza citizens could be seen flocking to charity kitchens over the weekend, as documented by AFP photographs.
- The Israeli security cabinet has agreed to resume a military campaign in Gaza, with the ultimate goal of securing a complete conquest and dominance of the Gaza Strip.
- The plan, greenlit in a late-night meeting, also includes the securing of occupied territories and the relocation of Gaza's populace southward for their protection.
- Israel's representative confirmed that the intensified operations will involve powerful strikes against Hamas, although they did not specify their nature.
- Amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza, there have been growing concerns in politics and general news about the humanitarian crisis, with alarms of worsening conditions and possible famine due to the Israeli blockade.
