Palestinians in Gaza grappling with existence as Israel contemplates 'conquest' plans
Revamped Report:
Title: Gaza Under Fire: Israel's Plan to Control and Reshape Gaza Strip Amidst ongoing Humanitarian Disaster
Israel's security cabinet has greenlighted an escalation in military operations within the Gaza Strip, centered around establishing territorial control and relocating the populace southward in the name of protection, according to a top Israeli official.
Yet, the residents of Gaza tell a different story – a narrative of stagnant, unchanging despair. Khaled Mehdi, a local resident, posits an incisive question, "How can they speak of expanding military operations, when Israel hasn't halted wars, killing, bombings, destruction, siege, and starvation, day in and day out?"
Mehdi shares his personal misery, living in a makeshift tent in Khan Yunis, uprooted by Israeli evacuation orders. He describes his existence as a "catastrophic and tragic" state.
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) admitted to depleting all food stocks in Gaza, a deprivation resulting from Israel's blockade on supplies since March 2. Aya al-Naboulsi, a resident of Gaza City, lost her infant daughter last week due to malnutrition and medicine shortages.
The girl, only four months old and weighing 2.8 kilograms, suffered from severe complications like blood acidity, liver, and kidney failure. The tragic consequence of her grisly fate – her hair and nails falling out due to malnutrition.
Another Gaza City resident, Umm Hashem al-Saqqa, fears the same for her five-year-old son, who suffers from iron deficiency anaemia. Scarcity of food, medicine, and nutritional supplements leave her helpless in the face of her son's worsening condition.
Distraction and Deception?
Mohammed al-Alul, a 65-year-old Gaza City native, isn't convinced that Israel's new military operations agenda means real change. According to him, Israel already dominates most of Gaza, and their announcement of expanded military action is mere media-spin.
The OCHA reports that 69% of Gaza has been taken over by Israeli buffer zones or is subject to evacuation orders, climbing to 100% in the Rafah governorate.
But, what about the forthcoming humanitarian aid delivery plan? Al-Alul believes it's nothing more than a smokescreen to draw the world's attention away from Israel's inhumane treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. Violence, bombardments, starvation, and denial of medical care remain Israel's favored tools in their continual subjugation of the Palestinian people, according to Al-Alul.
Israel justifies this renewed aggression as an effort to compel Hamas to release the remaining hostages within the territory. The Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, applauded the plan and evoked Donald Trump's earlier proposal to resettle Gaza's refugees in other countries, ultimately aiming to eradicate Hamas and control Gaza[3].
© 2025 AFP
Enrichment Data
Gideon's Chariots: The escalation in military operations is called "Gideon's Chariots," named after the biblical hero who led an army of 300 men to defeat a Midianite force of 135,000. The operation calls for mobilizing 60,000 reservists and aims to defeat Hamas and secure the release of remaining hostages[1][2].
International Reaction: Although the international community is expected to voice strong opposition to Israel's plan, specific actions or reactions from countries and organizations are not yet comprehensively detailed in available information[2]. Reactions may be influenced by various factors, including regional alliances, human rights priorities, and political pressure.
^{Sources:}^{ [1] "Gideon's Chariots: Bold Israeli plan to seize Palestinian territory in Gaza" – Newsweek, 4 May 2025}^{ [2] "Expanded Israeli Military Operations in Gaza: An Analysis" – Middle East Eye, 5 May 2025}^{ [3] "Israel plans to resettle Palestinians – an option proposed by Trump" – Jewish News Service, 6 May 2025}
- The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) is struggling to deliver essential nutritional support to the people of Gaza, a situation exacerbated by Israel's ongoing blockade.
- Aya al-Naboulsi, a resident in Gaza City, lost her four-month-old daughter due to malnutrition and medicine shortages, a tragic consequence of the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the region.
- Despite Israel's claims of reshaping Gaza and establishing territorial control, Mohammed al-Alul, a Gaza City native, is skeptical, stating that Israel's announcement of expanded military action might be just a distraction from the ongoing inhumane treatment of Palestinians.
- Israel has moved to mobilize 60,000 reservists for "Gideon's Chariots," an operation aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the release of remaining hostages, according to news reports.
- General news outlets and news agencies, including Newsweek and Middle East Eye, have covered the international community's expected strong opposition to Israel's plan, but specific reactions or actions are not yet fully detailed. The political landscape and regional alliances may influence the responses from various countries and organizations.
