Israeli cabinet may order complete Gaza takeover
military takeover
of
Gaza
for the first time in two decades, media reported.
The move would come despite international pressure for a ceasefire to ease appalling conditions in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Prime minister
Binyamin Netanyahu
is leaning towards an expanded offensive and taking control of the entire enclave after 22 months of war against Hamas, Israeli Channel 12 reported.
A senior Israeli source told Reuters on Monday that more force was an option following the collapse of indirect ceasefire talks with Hamas.
READ MORE
Seizing the entire territory would reverse a 2005 decision by Israel to pull settlers and military out of Gaza while retaining control over its borders – a move right-wing parties blame for Hamas gaining power there.
It was unclear, however, whether a potential full takeover of Gaza would entail a prolonged occupation or a short-term operation aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages.
[
Gaza is also a war on the human instinct for compassion
Opens in new window
]
The Israeli military was expected on Tuesday to present alternatives that include extending into areas of Gaza where it has not yet operated, according to two defence officials.
Israel's coalition government is regarded as one of the most right-wing in its history, with the cabinet including parties that seek to annex both Gaza and the West Bank and encourage Palestinians to leave their homeland.
The country's military has throughout the war pushed back against the idea of Israel trying to fully occupy Gaza and establish military rule there, which would require it to take over long-term governance.
The military has also struggled with manpower issues as the war has dragged on, with reservists being repeatedly called up and putting a strain on capabilities.
The conflict was triggered by a Hamas attack on October 7th, 2023, when gunmen stormed the border from Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people and seizing around 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 60,000 people according to Palestinian health authorities. It has forced nearly all of Gaza's over two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine.
That has caused widespread international anger and prompted several European countries to say they would recognise a Palestinian state next month if there was no ceasefire.
Inside Gaza on Tuesday, Israeli gunfire and strikes killed at least 13 Palestinians, local health authorities said, including five people in a tent in Khan Younis and three aid seekers near Rafah in the south.
Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza earlier on Tuesday but it was not clear if the move was part of a larger ground offensive.
Palestinians living in the last fifth of the territory where Israel has not yet taken military control via ground incursions or orders for civilians to leave said any new move to occupy the area would be catastrophic.
A Palestinian official close to the talks and mediation said Israeli threats could be a way to pressure Hamas to make concessions at the negotiation table.
'It will only complicate the negotiation further, at the end, the resistance factions will not accept less than an end to the war, and a full withdrawal from Gaza,' he told Reuters.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said last week he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza.
But Israeli officials have also floated ideas including expanding the offensive and annexing parts of Gaza.
The failed ceasefire talks in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. – Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
UN chief warns Israeli plan to take control of Gaza City a 'dangerous escalation'
latest | UN chief says Israel's plan will forcibly displace Palestinians Israel's security cabinet approved plan to take control of Gaza City United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday criticized Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, with the U.N. chief's spokesperson saying the decision marked "a dangerous escalation" that will result in forced displacement of Palestinians. Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City to further expand Israel's military offensive in the Palestinian enclave devastated by nearly a two-year Israeli assault. The plan drew strong criticism at home and abroad on Friday. When asked by Fox News' Bill Hemmer on Thursday if Israel would take over the entire coastal territory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "we intend to." "This decision marks a dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians, and could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages," the U.N. chief's spokesperson said in a statement. That decision "will result in additional forced displacement, killings and massive destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza," the statement added. Forced displacement is illegal under international law. The United Nations Security Council will meet on Saturday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to its scheduled released on Friday after Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Ambassador Riyad Mansour, permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, earlier on Friday said a number of countries would be requesting a meeting of the UN Security Council on Israel's plans. Germany, a key European ally, announced it would halt exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza, a decision Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called disappointing. Britain and other European allies urged Israel to reconsider its decision to escalate the Gaza military campaign. However, U.S. President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, told Reuters that some countries appeared to be putting pressure on Israel rather than on the militant group Hamas, whose deadly attack on Israel in 2023 ignited the war. In Israel, families of hostages held by militants in Gaza, and opposition leaders blasted Netanyahu for a decision that they said would put hostages' lives at risk. Far-right allies in the prime minister's coalition have been pushing for a total takeover of Gaza as part of his vow to eradicate Hamas militants, though the military has warned this could endanger the lives of remaining hostages held by militants. ADVERTISEMENT Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision to send Israeli forces into Gaza City a disaster, saying it defied the advice of military and security officials. He accused far-right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of dragging Netanyahu into a prolonged campaign that would result in the deaths of hostages and soldiers. Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer in an interview that aired on Thursday that the military intended to take control of all of Gaza. He said Israel did not want to keep the Gaza Strip, but to establish a "security perimeter" and to hand over the territory to Arab forces. The announcement from the prime minister's office early on Friday, following Thursday's security cabinet meeting, said the military would take Gaza City, but did not say if Israeli forces would take all of the enclave. Israel's cabinet is expected to endorse the Gaza City plan. Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday to express disappointment over Berlin's suspension of weapons exports to Israel, the prime minister's office said. Netanyahu told the chancellor that Israel's goal was to "free Gaza from Hamas" so a peaceful government could be established there, and that Israel does not intend to take it over, it said. The military has said that it controls around 75% of Gaza. Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, estimated that if the military did take Gaza City, it would give Israel control of about 85% of the strip. "Gaza City is the heart of Gaza. It's really the centre of government. It has always been the strongest and even in the eyes of Hamas, the fall of Gaza City is pretty much the fall of Hamas," said Avivi. "Taking over Gaza City is a game changer." Israeli media have said 900,000 people now live in Gaza City, including many who have been displaced by the military. "Where should we go? Do we throw ourselves in the sea?," said Maghzouza Saada, a displaced Palestinian from Gaza's north. Before the war, Hamas' most powerful fighting units were believed to operate in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Most of those freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed in July. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was among foreign leaders urging Israel to reconsider its decision to advance into Gaza City. Regional power Saudi Arabia, which has said it could not normalise ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state, condemned any move to occupy Gaza. Asked in an interview with Reuters about criticism of Israel's decision to escalate the war, U.S. Ambassador Huckabee questioned why some nations were 'once again' placing 'all the pressure on Israel' instead of on Hamas. Huckabee said Trump was frustrated that Hamas is unwilling to reach "any kind of reasonable settlement", adding the president insists that the militant group cannot remain in power and must disarm. Israel had already come under mounting pressure at home and abroad over the war in Gaza, including over the humanitarian disaster in the enclave. In recent weeks, Britain, Canada and France said they could recognise a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly next month. Netanyahu has said there will be no end to the war until Hamas is disarmed. Opinion polls have shown that a majority of Israelis believe he should end the war immediately in a diplomatic agreement that would see the release of remaining hostages. The Hostages Families Forum, which represents many families of captives in Gaza, said the pursuit of occupying Gaza means abandoning the hostages all while ignoring public support to immediately end the war in a deal that releases the hostages. It said in a statement the security cabinet had chosen to "embark on another march of recklessness, on the backs of the hostages, the soldiers, and Israeli society as a whole". "I think it's a death sentence to all the hostages that are still being held there. And it's the wrong decision to do it at this time," Danny Bukovsky, a hotelier in Tel Aviv, said of the announcement that Israeli forces would move into Gaza City. A full occupation of Gaza would reverse a 2005 decision in which Israel withdrew thousands of Jewish settlers and its forces, while retaining control over its borders, airspace and utilities. Follow our live blog here: Israel announces plan to seize Gaza City in another escalation of the war Israel said early Friday that it plans to take over Gaza City, in another escalation of its 22-month war with Hamas. The decision, made after a late-night meeting of top officials, drew Palestinian rejection, fueled mounting international calls to end the war and provoked worries in Israel over the fate of hostages still held by Hamas. Israel's air and ground 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. Another major ground operation would almost certainly exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas rebuffed Netanyahu's plans in a statement and said people in Gaza would 'remain defiant against occupation." 'Expanding of aggression against our Palestinian people will not be a walk in the park," the group said. Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined more sweeping plans in an interview with Fox News, saying Israel planned to take control of all of Gaza. Israel already controls around three quarters of the devastated territory. Israel's plan, announced after the Security Cabinet met through Thursday night, stopped short of what Netanyahu had suggested, and may be aimed in part at pressuring Hamas to accept a ceasefire on Israel's terms. It may also reflect the reservations of Israel's top general, who 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 military 'will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,' Netanyahu's office said in a statement after the meeting. Israel has repeatedly bombarded Gaza City and carried out numerous raids there, only to return to different neighborhoods again and again as militants regrouped. Today, it is one of the few areas in Gaza that hasn't been turned into an Israeli buffer zone or placed under evacuation orders. A major ground operation there could displace tens of thousands of people and further disrupt efforts to deliver food to the hunger-stricken territory. It's unclear how many people reside in the city, which was Gaza's largest before the war. Hundreds of thousands fled Gaza City under evacuation orders in the opening weeks of the war, but many returned during a ceasefire at the start of this year. Palestinians were already anticipating even more suffering ahead of the decision, and at least 42 were killed in Israeli airstrikes and shootings on Thursday, according to local hospitals. Israel's military offensive has killed over 61,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters or civilians. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. The United Nations and independent experts view the ministry's figures as the most reliable estimate of casualties. Israel has disputed them without offering a toll of its own. 'There is nothing left to occupy," said Maysaa al-Heila, who is living in a displacement camp. 'There is no Gaza left." Asked in the interview with Fox News ahead of the Security Cabinet meeting if Israel would 'take control of all of Gaza,' Netanyahu replied: 'We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas (from) there.' "We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter,' Netanyahu said in the interview. 'We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life.' Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the group would view Netanyahu's proposal of an Arab-led force in post-war Gaza as linked to Israel. He warned it could further 'plunge the region into new trouble.' Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, warned against occupying Gaza, saying it would endanger the hostages and put further strain on the military after nearly two years of war, according to Israeli media reports on the closed-door Security Cabinet meeting. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people and killed around 1,200 in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals but 50 remain inside Gaza. Israel believes around 20 of them to be alive. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Friday that the cabinet's plan would endanger them and would not advance Israel toward its objectives. 'This is exactly what Hamas wanted: for Israel to be mired on the ground with no purpose, without defining the day‑after picture, in a pointless occupation that no one understands where it is leading,' he said in a statement on X. Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Metz and Joseph Krauss, Associated Press Today 10:04 AM US has no plans to recognise Palestinian state - JD Vance US vice president JD Vance said the US has "no plans" to recognise a state of Palestine during a bilateral meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy at Chevening House. He said: "Obviously the United Kingdom's going to make its decision. We have no plans to recognise a Palestinian state. "I don't know what it would mean to really recognise a Palestinian state, given the lack of functional government there." He added that the US government's two goals are "very simple", saying: "Number one, it's we want to make it so that Hamas cannot attack innocent Israeli civilians ever again, and we think that has to come through the eradication of Hamas. "Second, the president has been very moved by these terrible images of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, so we want to make sure that we solve that problem. "I think all of us can work on how to solve that problem. Obviously, it's not an easy problem to solve, or it would have already been dealt with, but we share, I think, that focus and that goal. We may have some disagreements about how exactly to accomplish that goal, and we'll talk about that today." Today 08:11 AM EU's von der Leyen: Israel must reconsider its plan to extend military operation in Gaza European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that Israel must reconsider its plan to take control of Gaza City. "The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered," she wrote on X. Sudip Kar-Gupta and Lili Bayer, Reuters Today 07:00 AM Belgium summons Israeli ambassador over Gaza plans Belgium's foreign minister on Friday summoned the Israeli ambassador citing Israel's announced plan to occupy Gaza City and take military control of the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the ministry said Belgium wanted to "express (its) total disapproval of this decision, but also of the continued the desire to annex the West Bank," adding that it will "vigorously advocate" for a reversal of this decision. "Following the official confirmation by the Israeli government of its intention to encircle and then occupy Gaza City and take military control of the entire Gaza Strip, Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has decided to summon the Israeli Ambassador," it said. Charlotte Van Campenhout, Reuters Today 05:43 AM Israeli decision to take over Gaza City 'utterly unacceptable' – Scottish First Minister Scotland's First Minister has said the Israeli government's decision to approve a plan to take over Gaza City is 'completely and utterly unacceptable'. John Swinney said the move will escalate the conflict and create even more human suffering as he reiterated calls for a ceasefire. His comments come after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his war cabinet early on Friday and approved plans for a major escalation in the conflict. The plan stops short of fully taking over all of Gaza, as had been suggested ahead of the meeting. In a post on X, Mr Swinney said: 'The decision of the Israeli Government to seize control of Gaza City is completely and utterly unacceptable. 'It will create even more human suffering for the Palestinian people and further escalate the conflict. 'The international community must stop Israel and secure a ceasefire.' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that Israel is 'wrong' to approve plans to occupy Gaza City and urged it to reconsider the new offensive or it will 'bring more bloodshed'. He has said that Israel should de-escalate, rather than launch the operation. The Prime Minister has pledged to recognise a Palestinian state by September unless Israel meets a series of conditions towards ending the war in Gaza. Lucinda Cameron, PA Today 04:40 AM Israeli plan for Gaza takeover must be halted immediately, UN rights chief says The Israeli government's plan for a full-scale military takeover of Gaza will cause more deaths and suffering and must be halted immediately, the United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said on Friday. The plan runs contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel must bring its occupation to an end as soon as possible, to the realisation of the agreed two-state solution and to the right of Palestinians to self-determination, Turk said in a statement. Israel's political-security cabinet approved a plan early on Friday to take control of Gaza City, as the country expands its military operations despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad over the devastating almost two-year-old war. Earlier Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel intended to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip. "On all evidence to date, this further escalation will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes," Turk said. "Instead of intensifying this war, the Israeli Government should put all its efforts into saving the lives of Gaza's civilians by allowing the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. The hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released by Palestinian armed groups." Matthias Williams, Reuters Today 04:26 AM Turkey condemns Israel's Gaza City plan, calls for international action Turkey condemns in the strongest terms Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City, the foreign ministry said on Friday, calling on the international community and United Nations Security Council to act to prevent the plan's implementation. The ministry said Israel must immediately halt its war plans, agree a ceasefire in Gaza, and start negotiations for a two-state solution, saying each step by Israel's government to continue what Turkey called Israel's genocide and occupation of Palestinian lands dealt a heavy blow to global security. Today 04:20 AM Hunger crisis worsens in Gaza as Netanyahu forges plan to seize all of Gaza City Today 04:08 AM 'Increasing clear' that Netanyahu's goal is 'ethnic cleaning' - Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said it was "increasingly clear" that Benjamin Netanyahu's "goal is ethnic cleansing" in Gaza and urged Keir Starmer to stop the export of all UK arms to Israel and sanction the premier. He said: "Netanyahu's plans to occupy the whole of Gaza are utterly abhorrent - and it's increasingly clear that his goal is ethnic cleansing. "This plan will only serve to wreak more devastation on the lives of millions of Gazans - whose homes and communities have already been destroyed - while endangering the lives of those hostages still held by Hamas. "Rather than sitting on its hands and issuing strongly worded statements, the UK Government needs to take decisive action. Keir Starmer needs to stop the export of all UK arms to Israel - today - and sanction Netanyahu and his cabinet." Today 04:07 AM 'Palestinian Pelé' shot dead by Israeli forces while waiting for aid in Gaza A renowned football player was among those killed in the latest Israeli attack on starving Gazans seeking aid in the besieged territory, the Palestinian Football Association said. Suleiman Al-Obeid, nicknamed the 'Palestinian Pelé', was shot dead by Israeli forces on Wednesday while waiting near an aid distribution centre. He was 41 years old. Al-Obeid is survived by his wife and five children. 'The former Palestine national team player, Suleiman Al-Obaid, was killed in an Israeli strike targeting civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip,' the PFA said in a statement on social media. Al-Obeid scored over 100 goals in a career spanning nearly a decade and a half, making him one of the brightest stars of Palestinian football. He last played for Palestinian club Khadamat Al-Shatea. Al-Obaid was regarded as one of the most talented attacking midfielders to play in the Gaza Strip League, earning him the nickname 'Pelé of Palestine" after the Brazilian great, the association said. Al-Obeid's death took the number of athletes and their families killed in Gaza since Israel began the war in October 2023 to 662, it said, adding that 321 of them were players, coaches, referees, administrators, and club board members associated with the football association. Israeli forces have reportedly killed more than 1,300 Palestinians at aid distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial group mandated by Israel and the US at the expense of reputable international agencies, since May. The UN as well as established charities have criticised the GHF's aid plan for not adhering to humanitarian principles. In a damning report released on Thursday, titled 'This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing', Doctors Without Borders denounced the Israeli food distribution scheme as 'institutionalised starvation and dehumanisation'. 'The GHF distribution sites fall dangerously short of any recognised standard for safe and dignified humanitarian distributions,' it said. Israel's security cabinet cleared a plan early on Friday to occupy the Gaza City, hours after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of the entire territory despite mounting criticism. Total control of the territory would reverse a 2005 decision to withdraw Israeli citizens and soldiers from Gaza while retaining control over its borders, airspace and utilities. Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera the group would treat any force formed to govern Gaza as an "occupying" force linked to Israel. Israel's ground and air assault on Gaza has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, displaced almost all of its 2.2 million inhabitants, and pushed them to the verge of famine, according to local health officials and aid groups. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar, The Independent
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on Israel's offensive: this war must end now
Fading hopes of an end to the slaughter and misery in Gaza have been dealt a further blow by the Israeli government's announcement that it plans a major offensive in order to establish full military control of the central part of the territory. In the early hours of Friday morning, the country's security cabinet decided to order a new assault on Gaza City, the last major urban area in the strip. The first stage of the operation will see the forced expulsion southward of the city's 800,000 inhabitants, many of whom had already been displaced. This will be completed by the symbolically important date of October 7th, the second anniversary of the murderous Hamas attack that began the current conflict. Israeli defence experts estimate the subsequent 'mopping up' of remaining Hamas units could take a year or more. Prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his government took their decision despite the opposition of military leaders and opinion polls showing a clear majority of Israelis want to see a ceasefire and the release of the hostages held by Hamas. As has been the case since the early stages of the war, Netanyahu's own political survival is entwined with the continuation of hostilities. Many Israelis fear this new offensive will lead to the deaths of the 20 remaining hostages held by Hamas, most of whom are believed to be in and around Gaza City. The prospect of an 'endless war' and occupation of the territory will be unappealing even to many who are unconcerned by Palestinian suffering. Despite the deep divisions in his country, however, Netanyahu appears determined to press on, possibly under pressure from far-right members of his government who wish to see the Palestinian population forced out and replaced by Israeli settlements. READ MORE Whatever the intention, the result, inevitably, will be further harrowing scenes of death and immiseration across Gaza. The decision has already sparked international condemnation, including from some of Israel's closest allies. The German government has suspended shipment of any arms that might be used in Gaza – an unprecedented move. Meanwhile, mediators from Egypt and Qatar continue to work on a framework that would see a release of hostages and an end to the war, although there is little expectation of that bearing fruit any time soon. If carried out, this new offensive will only deepen Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe. The deliberate infliction of such suffering on a civilian population through forced displacement, siege tactics and mass hunger adds considerable weight to accusations of war crimes. The international community cannot ignore its own responsibility. A stronger, more coordinated response is required to prevent further atrocities and bring an end to a war that has already gone on far too long.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Israel's Gaza City plan greeted with widespread international criticism
There was widespread international criticism on Friday of the Israeli security cabinet's decision to approve prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu 's plan to take control of Gaza City. The move to expand Israeli operations in the Palestinian territory would expel close to a million residents from their homes and could lead to the full occupation of the enclave. The most significant reaction came from Germany . It announced the suspension of exports to Israel of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip . 'The release of the Israeli hostages and negotiations for a ceasefire are Germany's top priorities,' chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement. However, he said, Israel's new policy 'makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved'. READ MORE 'Under these circumstances the German federal government will, until further notice, not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip.' European Council president António Costa said the decision 'must have consequences for EU-Israel relations'. A spokeswoman said the Taoiseach 'unreservedly condemns' the plan. 'This shows a complete disregard for international law and will have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population of Gaza who are already in dire need of humanitarian assistance,' she said. British prime minister Keir Starmer said the decision was wrong. 'This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed,' he said. Australian foreign minister Penny Wong said permanent forced displacement was a violation of international law. 'A two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace – a Palestinian state and the state of Israel, living side by side in peace and security within internationally-recognised borders,' she added. [ What is behind Israel's plan to take control of Gaza City? Opens in new window ] Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said the decision was a 'disaster that will lead to many more disasters.' Mr Lapid said far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and finance minister Bezalel Smotrich 'dragged Netanyahu into a move that will kill the hostages and many soldiers, will cost Israeli taxpayers tens of billions and will destroy Israel's diplomatic relations'. Mr Smotrich voted against the plan. 'This is not an operation to conquer Gaza, establish full military control and achieve decisive victory, but rather a limited and dangerous operation whose sole purpose is to bring Hamas back to the negotiating table,' he said. Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Lieut Gen Eyal Zamir had opposed the plan, instead proposing a siege on areas where Hamas remains active. He also warned of burnout among the combat troops. The security cabinet decision, which came after an overnight session, stopped short of the full military occupation of Gaza originally under discussion. Mr Netanyahu noted that 'at any stage we can stop the operation, it is not irreversible'. The war was triggered on October 7th, 2023, when Hamas's attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent attack on Gaza has killed more than 60,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The Hostage Families Forum, which represents most of the hostage families, said: 'The Israeli government last night issued a death warrant for the living hostages – and a sentence of disappearance for the deceased hostages.'
