Israel’s security cabinet has agreed on a plan to take control of Gaza City, which has caused strong debate and criticism.
Gaza City is in the north of the Gaza Strip and was the most crowded city there before the war, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Many world leaders have spoken against this plan, and the United Nations has warned it could cause “more forced displacement” and “more deaths.”
Hamas has said it will fight strongly against the move.
The plan is also unpopular inside Israel, with criticism from military leaders and families of hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel’s goal is to take control of the whole Gaza Strip and later give it to Arab forces. Many details about the plan are still unclear, but this is what is known so far.
What is the plan?
The Israeli prime minister’s office said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will get ready to take control of Gaza City.
The statement listed five main goals for ending the war:
- Take away all Hamas weapons.
- Bring back all hostages, alive or dead.
- Remove all weapons from the Gaza Strip.
- Keep Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip.
- Create a new civilian government that is not run by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
The IDF also said it will prepare to control Gaza City while giving humanitarian aid to people living outside the fighting areas.
It is not clear if this aid is new or if it will come through the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or another group.
Hamas called the plan to occupy Gaza a “new war crime.”
In a statement on Friday, Hamas warned Israel:
“We warn the occupying force that this plan will cost them a lot and will not be an easy mission.”
Why is Israel only taking control of Gaza City?
Before a government meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he wanted Israel to control all of Gaza. But in the new plan, only Gaza City is mentioned.
Israeli news reports say there were strong arguments between Netanyahu and the army’s chief of staff, who is against taking over the whole of Gaza.
Israel says it already controls 75% of Gaza. The UN says about 86% of the area is either in military zones or under evacuation orders.
The new plan is for Israeli forces to take Gaza City, the largest city in the area. The city has already been badly damaged by bombing and fighting, and is surrounded by land already controlled by Israel or cleared of people.
Experts think controlling Gaza City might be the first step toward taking over the whole Gaza Strip. Some also think Israel may be using the threat of full occupation to pressure Hamas into agreeing to a ceasefire.
Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel does not want to keep Gaza. He said they plan to give it to “Arab forces” but keep a security border. “We don’t want to govern it,” he said.