Israel weighs up full Gaza takeover despite concerns of armed forces
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering whether to deploy the Israel Defence Forces into the 25 per cent of the Palestinian territory not already under its control, according to an Israeli official briefed on the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information.
Some Israeli military leaders have expressed reservations, the official said, while the plan would most likely face considerable opposition from international governments fearful of the worsening the humanitarian situation in the strip.
A final decision hasn't been made, the official said, and Netanyahu plans to convene his decision-making Security Cabinet some time this week to finalise a strategy.
The United Nations on Tuesday called reports of a possible widening of military operations as 'deeply alarming' if true.
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UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a Security Council meeting that such a move could have 'catastrophic consequences' and risk the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza.
'International law is clear; Gaza is and must remain an integral part of the future Palestinian state,' he said.
Netanyahu held a three-hour security consultation earlier this week, during which the IDF's chief of staff 'presented the options for continuing the military campaign in Gaza', according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
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News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Israel orders army to execute govt decisions on Gaza
Israel's military will have to execute any government decisions on Gaza, the defence minister said Wednesday after reported disagreements over the prospect of a full occupation of the Palestinian territory. As the war nears its 23rd month, signs of a rift over Israel's strategy have emerged with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preparing to announce a new plan. He has said Israel must "complete" the defeat of Palestinian militant group Hamas in order to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza since the October 2023 attack that triggered the war. The Israeli press, citing officials speaking on condition of anonymity, has predicted an escalation of operations, including in densely populated areas where hostages are believed to be held, such as Gaza City and refugee camps. On Wednesday, the military issued a fresh evacuation call for parts of Gaza City, in the north, and Khan Yunis in the south, where a spokesman said ground troops were preparing to "expand the scope of combat operations". Media reports in Israel have said Netanyahu and his cabinet may order a full military occupation of Gaza, allegedly sparking dissension from armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. On Tuesday, Netanyahu held a three-hour meeting with security chiefs including Zamir to discuss options for the continuation of the war, the premier's office said in a statement. At the meeting, Zamir warned that a full occupation would be like "walking into a trap", public broadcaster Kan reported. Channel 12 television said the armed forces chief suggested alternatives to a full occupation, such as encircling specific areas where Hamas militants are believed to be hunkering down. Defence Minister Israel Katz said in post on X that while "it is the right and duty of the chief of staff to express his position in the appropriate forums", the military is bound by any decisions made by the government. "Once decisions are made by the political echelon, the IDF will execute them with determination and professionalism," Katz said, using an acronym for the Israeli military. - Trump says 'up to Israel' - Netanyahu is expected to convene his security cabinet on Thursday to finalise a decision on the expansion of the offensive, Israeli media reported. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he told Netanyahu in a Wednesday meeting that "occupying Gaza is a very bad idea... operationally, morally and economically". US President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday he was not aware of plans to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, but said that such a decision would be "up to Israel". The Israeli government is under growing pressure to bring the war to an end, with mounting concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and increasing alarm among Israelis about the fate of the remaining hostages. Out of 251 hostages seized during Hamas's 2023 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. The UN Security Council held a special session on Tuesday to discuss the plight of the Israeli hostages, as the country seeks to keep the issue at the top of the global agenda. On Tuesday, Trump described a recent video released by Hamas of emaciated Israeli hostage Evyatar David purportedly digging his own grave as "horrible." In parallel, international criticism has surged over the suffering of the more than two million Palestinian inhabitants of Gaza after the United Nations warned that famine is unfolding in the territory. - 'Dangerous roads' - On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency said on Wednesday that at least 22 people were killed overnight when an aid truck overturned onto a crowd of people hoping to collect food rations. "The truck overturned while hundreds of civilians were waiting for food aid" in central Gaza, civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. He said that "the truck had been forced by the Israeli army to take dangerous roads" that had been damaged in bomardments. The Hamas-run government accused Israel of "deliberately obstructing the safe passage and distribution of the aid". Asked by AFP, a military official said the army was not involved in the incident. At the end of May, Israel eased the aid blockade it had imposed in early March. But the United Nations says the quantities of aid being allowed into Gaza are still insufficient. The October 2023 attack that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, the majority of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The Israeli offensive has killed at least 61,158 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry which are considered reliable by the United Nations.
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
At least 20 killed in Gaza as aid truck overturns
At least 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a truck loaded with humanitarian aid overturned into a crowd in the Gaza Strip, according to a report. The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing medical sources, said dozens more were injured in the incident, which occurred in the central part of the coastal territory. Crowds rushed to the truck on a road south east of Deir al-Balah. It remains unclear whether the incident was an accident or whether people seeking aid caused the truck to overturn. The report said large numbers of starving civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, and the truck was allegedly forced onto an unsafe route by the Israeli military. WAFA reported that as of Tuesday, the death toll from aid-related incidents reached 52, with 352 injuries, bringing the total number of such fatalities to 1568, with 11,230 injuries recorded in hospitals. The claims could not be independently verified. According to the United Nations, most aid trucks are looted by hungry civilians and armed groups after entering Gaza and before reaching their destinations, often resulting in chaotic and dangerous scenes. The UN warns widespread famine threatens the war-torn territory, home to two million people, despite Israel having allowed increased aid deliveries for more than a week. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced pushback from the head of the military over his proposal to seize remaining areas of Gaza it doesn't already control during a tense three-hour meeting, officials said. Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, warned the prime minister that taking the rest of Gaza could trap the military in the territory, which it withdrew from two decades ago, and could lead to harm to the hostages being held there, sources briefed on the meeting said. The Israeli military says it already controls 75 per cent of Gaza after nearly two years of war, which began when militant group Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities in October 2023. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true. The prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu held a "limited security discussion" lasting about three hours during which Zamir "presented the options for continuing the campaign in Gaza". Netanyahu, who favours an expansion of military operations, told Zamir that so far the military had failed to bring about the release of the hostages, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that the military chief has both the right and the duty to voice his opinion, but said the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives are achieved. The prime minister's office declined to comment further and the military did not respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza". A Palestinian official said the suggestion of a full takeover of Gaza may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports. The war was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages. Israel's military response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 61,000 people - mostly civilians - according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel's campaign has forced nearly all of Gaza's more than two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. with DPA and EFE At least 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a truck loaded with humanitarian aid overturned into a crowd in the Gaza Strip, according to a report. The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing medical sources, said dozens more were injured in the incident, which occurred in the central part of the coastal territory. Crowds rushed to the truck on a road south east of Deir al-Balah. It remains unclear whether the incident was an accident or whether people seeking aid caused the truck to overturn. The report said large numbers of starving civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, and the truck was allegedly forced onto an unsafe route by the Israeli military. WAFA reported that as of Tuesday, the death toll from aid-related incidents reached 52, with 352 injuries, bringing the total number of such fatalities to 1568, with 11,230 injuries recorded in hospitals. The claims could not be independently verified. According to the United Nations, most aid trucks are looted by hungry civilians and armed groups after entering Gaza and before reaching their destinations, often resulting in chaotic and dangerous scenes. The UN warns widespread famine threatens the war-torn territory, home to two million people, despite Israel having allowed increased aid deliveries for more than a week. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced pushback from the head of the military over his proposal to seize remaining areas of Gaza it doesn't already control during a tense three-hour meeting, officials said. Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, warned the prime minister that taking the rest of Gaza could trap the military in the territory, which it withdrew from two decades ago, and could lead to harm to the hostages being held there, sources briefed on the meeting said. The Israeli military says it already controls 75 per cent of Gaza after nearly two years of war, which began when militant group Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities in October 2023. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true. The prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu held a "limited security discussion" lasting about three hours during which Zamir "presented the options for continuing the campaign in Gaza". Netanyahu, who favours an expansion of military operations, told Zamir that so far the military had failed to bring about the release of the hostages, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that the military chief has both the right and the duty to voice his opinion, but said the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives are achieved. The prime minister's office declined to comment further and the military did not respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza". A Palestinian official said the suggestion of a full takeover of Gaza may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports. The war was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages. Israel's military response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 61,000 people - mostly civilians - according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel's campaign has forced nearly all of Gaza's more than two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. with DPA and EFE At least 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a truck loaded with humanitarian aid overturned into a crowd in the Gaza Strip, according to a report. The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing medical sources, said dozens more were injured in the incident, which occurred in the central part of the coastal territory. Crowds rushed to the truck on a road south east of Deir al-Balah. It remains unclear whether the incident was an accident or whether people seeking aid caused the truck to overturn. The report said large numbers of starving civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, and the truck was allegedly forced onto an unsafe route by the Israeli military. WAFA reported that as of Tuesday, the death toll from aid-related incidents reached 52, with 352 injuries, bringing the total number of such fatalities to 1568, with 11,230 injuries recorded in hospitals. The claims could not be independently verified. According to the United Nations, most aid trucks are looted by hungry civilians and armed groups after entering Gaza and before reaching their destinations, often resulting in chaotic and dangerous scenes. The UN warns widespread famine threatens the war-torn territory, home to two million people, despite Israel having allowed increased aid deliveries for more than a week. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced pushback from the head of the military over his proposal to seize remaining areas of Gaza it doesn't already control during a tense three-hour meeting, officials said. Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, warned the prime minister that taking the rest of Gaza could trap the military in the territory, which it withdrew from two decades ago, and could lead to harm to the hostages being held there, sources briefed on the meeting said. The Israeli military says it already controls 75 per cent of Gaza after nearly two years of war, which began when militant group Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities in October 2023. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true. The prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu held a "limited security discussion" lasting about three hours during which Zamir "presented the options for continuing the campaign in Gaza". Netanyahu, who favours an expansion of military operations, told Zamir that so far the military had failed to bring about the release of the hostages, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that the military chief has both the right and the duty to voice his opinion, but said the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives are achieved. The prime minister's office declined to comment further and the military did not respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza". A Palestinian official said the suggestion of a full takeover of Gaza may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports. The war was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages. Israel's military response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 61,000 people - mostly civilians - according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel's campaign has forced nearly all of Gaza's more than two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. with DPA and EFE At least 20 people have been killed and more than 30 injured after a truck loaded with humanitarian aid overturned into a crowd in the Gaza Strip, according to a report. The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing medical sources, said dozens more were injured in the incident, which occurred in the central part of the coastal territory. Crowds rushed to the truck on a road south east of Deir al-Balah. It remains unclear whether the incident was an accident or whether people seeking aid caused the truck to overturn. The report said large numbers of starving civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian assistance, and the truck was allegedly forced onto an unsafe route by the Israeli military. WAFA reported that as of Tuesday, the death toll from aid-related incidents reached 52, with 352 injuries, bringing the total number of such fatalities to 1568, with 11,230 injuries recorded in hospitals. The claims could not be independently verified. According to the United Nations, most aid trucks are looted by hungry civilians and armed groups after entering Gaza and before reaching their destinations, often resulting in chaotic and dangerous scenes. The UN warns widespread famine threatens the war-torn territory, home to two million people, despite Israel having allowed increased aid deliveries for more than a week. Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced pushback from the head of the military over his proposal to seize remaining areas of Gaza it doesn't already control during a tense three-hour meeting, officials said. Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, warned the prime minister that taking the rest of Gaza could trap the military in the territory, which it withdrew from two decades ago, and could lead to harm to the hostages being held there, sources briefed on the meeting said. The Israeli military says it already controls 75 per cent of Gaza after nearly two years of war, which began when militant group Hamas attacked southern Israeli communities in October 2023. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true. The prime minister's office said in a statement that Netanyahu held a "limited security discussion" lasting about three hours during which Zamir "presented the options for continuing the campaign in Gaza". Netanyahu, who favours an expansion of military operations, told Zamir that so far the military had failed to bring about the release of the hostages, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Defence Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that the military chief has both the right and the duty to voice his opinion, but said the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives are achieved. The prime minister's office declined to comment further and the military did not respond to a request for comment. Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss military plans for Gaza with other ministers on Thursday. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza". A Palestinian official said the suggestion of a full takeover of Gaza may be a tactic to pressure Hamas into concessions, while the Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged foreign nations to take heed of the reports. The war was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1200 people, mostly civilians, and capturing 251 hostages. Israel's military response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing more than 61,000 people - mostly civilians - according to Palestinian health authorities. Israel's campaign has forced nearly all of Gaza's more than two million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor called last week an unfolding famine. with DPA and EFE
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Clearly over the line': Pro-Palestinian activists will not condemn Australian flag burning
Sky News host Paul Murray highlights how pro-Palestinian activists have not condemned the burning of an Australian flag in Melbourne. 'As you know, the protest was at least 90 - 100,000 people, perhaps more across the Sydney Harbour Bridge … but there is one little thing I do get frustrated with, with people who, again, seek to be our moral betters,' Mr Murray said. 'Who are not willing to call BS … when people who are not part of the core belief of the people who are marching … do something that is clearly over the line.'
