Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City as part of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described as a five-point strategy to “defeat Hamas” and “conclude the war.” The plan, passed by a majority vote, stops short of Netanyahu’s earlier statement that Israel would seize the entire Gaza Strip.
The proposal sets out five goals: disarming Hamas, freeing all hostages, demilitarising Gaza, taking security control, and establishing an administration “neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said preparations are under way to move into Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid outside combat zones.
The move has sparked criticism from international bodies and domestic voices. The UN warned of “catastrophic consequences” for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages, while the UK’s ambassador to Israel called it “a huge mistake.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid labelled the decision “a disaster,” accusing far-right ministers of pushing the prime minister into actions that benefit Hamas.
Reports in Israeli media suggest the plan would involve relocating Gaza City’s population south, followed by a second offensive in central Gaza. Aid groups have condemned existing humanitarian conditions, with the UN warning that most of Gaza’s population is already displaced and facing famine-like conditions.