Israel's Security Cabinet approves plan to occupy Gaza city

Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to take full military control of Gaza City—the initial phase of a broader campaign to occupy the entire Gaza Strip.

The operation will proceed alongside humanitarian aid distribution outside combat zones. It is guided by five principal conditions to conclude the war: disarming Hamas, securing the return of all hostages (alive and deceased), demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, establishing Israeli security control, and setting up a civilian administration unaffiliated with both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

A rift has emerged within Israel’s leadership. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned that the operation could jeopardize hostages and exacerbate long-term military entanglements. Meanwhile, international criticism is mounting. Global actors—including the UK’s Labour leader, and governments from Turkey to Australia—sound alarms over rising humanitarian risks and a drift toward occupation.

Netanyahu insists the move isn’t about governance: “We don’t want to remain. We want to establish a security zone, then transfer control to Arab forces,” he stated following the cabinet decision.

The decision has spurred protests across major Israeli cities, with many demanding a ceasefire and a renewed push for a hostage deal.