Government sources: Israel plans to take over Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the armed forces would move from carrying out raids to conquering the Gaza Strip and a becoming a permanent presence there.
The plan involves moving the population from the north to the south, according to the government statement. Israel's aim is to defeat the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and secure the release of the hostages Hamas is still holding.
Hamas should also be prevented from intercepting humanitarian aid supplies, according to the statement.
Netanyahu said he continues to support US President Donald Trump's plan for a "voluntary emigration of Gaza residents," and that discussions are under way with several countries.
Trump's plan, that the United States would "take over" and "own" the Gaza Strip, was met with strong international criticism.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said last month that Israeli soldiers should retain permanent control in all areas conquered in the Gaza Strip.
The army would remain in the "security zones" and act as a buffer between the enemy and the Israeli communities "in any temporary or permanent reality," Katz said.
Unlike in the past, the army would no longer evacuate areas, Katz said. If Hamas does not release the hostages, the operations would be expanded, he added.
Katz previously said the armed forces would conquer large areas in the Gaza Strip to serve as Israeli-controlled "security zones."
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