Gaza Herald- Israel is preparing a large-scale operation that will begin with the seizure of Gaza City, aiming to remove its roughly one million Palestinian residents forcibly.
Although the official announcement described the move as a “takeover,” Israeli outlet Ynet reported that the term “occupy” was intentionally avoided to skirt the legal obligations that come with formal occupation under international law. A senior Israeli official confirmed to local media that the choice of wording was purely for public statements, while the real objective remains the occupation of the Gaza Strip.
The Prime Minister’s Office claimed that the military would provide “humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” while outlining five key objectives for ending the war: dismantling Hamas, securing the return of captives, demilitarising Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control over the territory, and setting up a civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
According to an Israeli official quoted by Axios, the plan seeks to evacuate all civilians from Gaza City within two months. The city would then be placed under siege, with Hamas members targeted before the launch of a ground offensive. NBC News reported that recent satellite images show a significant Israeli military build-up along the Gaza boundary, signalling preparations for another major assault.
Internationl conemnation
In response to reports of the occupation plan, Hamas stated on Thursday that the move confirms Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unwillingness to secure the release of captives or reach any agreement. “Any expansion of aggression against our Palestinian people will not be a walk in the park and will come at a heavy cost to the occupation,” the group warned.
The UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday condemned Israel’s decision as “wrong” and urged it to reverse course, while the United Nations called on Israel to halt the plan immediately.
Since Israel’s war on Gaza began on 7 October 2023, its forces have carried out multiple ground invasions in Gaza City and across the Strip. More than 61,000 Palestinians, including at least 18,000 children have been killed in the assault, which has been widely recognised as a genocide.
Hamas has denounced Israel’s plan to seize Gaza City, describing it as nothing less than a “war crime” against the Palestinian people.
The movement said Israel’s use of the term “control” instead of “occupation” is a calculated attempt to “evade its legal obligations for the devastating consequences of its relentless crimes against civilians.”
It further accused the Israeli government of showing complete disregard for the lives of the captives held in Gaza, stating: “They are fully aware that escalating their aggression means sacrificing them without hesitation.”
Hamas added that Netanyahu’s scheme exposes the real reason behind Israel’s abrupt withdrawal from the latest round of negotiations that were on the verge of producing a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace efforts, Hamas stressed that throughout its engagement with Egyptian and Qatari mediators, it had demonstrated “all possible flexibility and goodwill” to give the ceasefire initiative every chance to succeed, despite Israel’s determination to prolong the suffering of Gaza’s people.
