Gaza Herald – Israel’s security cabinet is set to convene on Thursday to vote on a sweeping military plan to occupy the Gaza Strip, in a move that could reshape the future of the besieged territory. According to Israeli reports, the proposed operation will last approximately five months and involve the occupation of Gaza City and the main refugee camps, with the participation of six military units.
Netanyahu Pushes for Maximum Force and Large-Scale Occupation
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11) reported that the plan, expected to be approved, outlines large-scale military operations in two key locations: Gaza City and the main refugee camps in the northern Gaza Strip.
The report described the plan as a show of “maximum force in the shortest time” and noted that it would likely require the wide-scale mobilization of reserve forces.
According to Kan 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for this strategy, which aims to destroy Hamas’ remaining power centers by occupying areas where the Israeli army has previously operated and, for the first time, advancing deeper into the refugee camps.
The same report quoted unnamed security sources as saying the goal of the operation is to drive Gaza’s residents southward, toward the coastal Al-Mawasi area, “in a relatively short time,” as part of a broader plan to support “voluntary emigration.”
An alternative approach discussed in the same report involves besieging Gaza City and the camps rather than launching a full-scale invasion. This would include halting humanitarian aid and carrying out limited raids from observation points.
The strategy, aimed at wearing down Hamas, is described as a slower option. However, Israeli security officials reportedly consider it a preliminary step before a full occupation, which government ministers are demanding.
To keep Gaza City apart from the other camps, other military plans have also been developed, one of which is to regain control of the Netzarim corridor. Israeli Channel 12 reported that, during the weeks needed for logistical preparation, including setting up temporary infrastructure for evacuated civilians, no ground operation would be launched. Only after those preparations would an “orderly” military entry into Gaza City begin.
The American website Axios and Israel’s Channel 12 both reported that U.S. President Donald Trump “does not oppose” Netanyahu’s plan. Trump reportedly told journalists that whether to occupy Gaza militarily would be “largely up to Israel.”
He is also expected to deliver a speech announcing an expansion of humanitarian aid, which the report states will include a $1 billion allocation, partly from the U.S. and partly from other countries. The funds would be used to create new aid distribution centers in central Gaza, aimed at circumventing Hamas and ensuring direct delivery to civilians.
But in sharp contrast to this story, Israeli fire has killed numerous locals, particularly women, children, and the elderly, near the so-called aid centers, which are now commonly known as “death traps.”
Humanitarian Concerns and Internal Discussion During Occupation Plans
The reports also indicate that the Israeli cabinet will discuss the potential annexation of the Gaza perimeter and the security buffer zone Israel has controlled since the beginning of the war. This includes exploring “the possibility of establishing permanent control” in these areas.
Yedioth Ahronoth’s Wint website reported on Wednesday that the first step in the occupation plan would be to evacuate Gaza City residents before launching a full ground invasion.
It stated that, as in previous instances, Israel would aim to push civilians further south to “encourage them to leave the Strip.” The report also noted that this occupation would not necessarily require mass reserve mobilization but could be conducted with forces similar to those used in the failed “Gideon’s Chariots” operation, a campaign that reportedly intensified internal disputes within the Israeli military command.
According to the Wint report, the Israeli army will present two proposals to the cabinet: one for occupation and the other for encirclement. While the military reportedly recommends the latter, Netanyahu is expected to argue that previous attempts at encirclement failed to rescue hostages, some of whom are believed to still be held in Gaza City.
Netanyahu is reportedly seeking cabinet approval to instruct the army to move forward with full occupation in accordance with his outlined plans. Sources described as senior Israeli officials told Wint that any proposal presented by Netanyahu is expected to receive strong backing within the government.
But not all of the voices in Israel’s leadership are in agreement. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has reportedly expressed strong opposition to the plan, warning that an occupation of Gaza could plunge Israel into what he described as a “black hole.”
