Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a new military plan to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in its nearly two-year conflict with Hamas and raising alarm among humanitarian agencies over the deepening crisis for civilians in the enclave.
The decision, taken in the early hours of Friday, follows comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who stated that Israel intends to achieve full military control over the Gaza Strip but does not seek to govern it.
“We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza, and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel,” Netanyahu said on Thursday.
A new ground offensive
Under the new military plan, Israeli forces are preparing for a fresh ground offensive focused on northern Gaza, issuing evacuation warnings for civilians to leave designated combat zones. Netanyahu’s office said that humanitarian aid would be delivered to areas outside of active military operations.
However, aid organisations have warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, and safe areas for displaced civilians are increasingly scarce.
The planned offensive comes at a time when more than 75% of the Gaza Strip is already under Israeli control, according to Israeli military assessments. Hamas continues to hold out in scattered pockets of resistance, primarily in Gaza City and its outskirts.
Reversal of the 2005 withdrawal
If carried out, the full takeover of Gaza City would represent a dramatic reversal of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s 2005 disengagement from the territory. It also signals a shift in Israel’s approach to the war from limited operations targeting Hamas infrastructure to comprehensive territorial control.
“This is not just a military manoeuvre- it is a political and strategic reset,” said one Israeli official familiar with the plan, speaking on condition of anonymity. “The Cabinet sees Gaza City as a final stronghold that must be neutralised.”
Voices from Gaza
Palestinians in Gaza, however, view the move as yet another devastating blow in an already unlivable situation. In a voice filled with despair, Mahmoud al-Qurashli, a displaced resident from eastern Gaza, said, “Netanyahu’s decision to occupy Gaza- it’s like there’s nothing left to occupy in the first place."
"We’re already dying, a hundred thousand deaths every day," al Qurashi explained. "Around a 100 to 150 people die daily, from starvation on top of everything else we’re going through.”
He added that most of the remaining population has been pushed into the western part of Gaza City, a shrinking space now overflowing with displaced families, rubble, and dwindling resources.
Famine on the horizon
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate at alarming speed. The United Nations Human Rights agency estimates that over 500,000 people in Gaza are now facing famine conditions. Access to food, clean water, and medical supplies remains limited, and aid convoys are often unable to reach those in need due to security constraints.
Aid groups warn that with each passing day, Gaza is inching closer to a full-scale humanitarian collapse. "We are no longer talking about risk- we are talking about reality," said one aid worker.
"Children are starving, hospitals are out of medicine, and people are drinking contaminated water. The world must act now."
A turning point in the conflict
With Israel poised to assert full control over Gaza City, the next phase of the war may prove to be the most consequential yet. What began as a campaign to dismantle Hamas has now become a battle over the future of Gaza itself and the lives of the more than 2 million people trapped within it.
As international mediators call for restraint and humanitarian corridors, the question now is whether this escalation will bring stability or usher in further chaos.
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action rem...
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with ...
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing h...
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Mya...
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps i...
Donald Trump said he is “in no hurry” to reach a deal with Iran, insisting the U.S. is slowly getting what it wants. He warned military action remains an option if talks fail. Meanwhile, U.S. forces said they fired a missile at a vessel trying to breach Washington’s blockade of Iran.
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing his family.
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar, according to local media reports.
Thousands of residents blocked Austria’s Brenner motorway on Saturday (30 May), shutting down a major north-south transport route through the Alps in protest against persistent congestion from heavy truck traffic and tourism.
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in more than a decade, despite being barred from performing in several countries over past antisemitic remarks.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela has secured a fourth successive election victory for his Labour Party, extending its hold on power, though with a reduced majority compared with previous polls.
Nicaraguan indigenous leader and former lawmaker Brooklyn Rivera has died in state custody at the age of 73, according to local media reports citing his family.
At least 46 people, including six children, have been killed in a powerful explosion at a building used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar, according to local media reports.
South Africa's preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have suffered an unexpected setback after the national team failed to depart for Mexico as scheduled on Sunday (31 May) because some players and officials had not yet received their visas.
Five people have died after a mine shaft collapsed during an illegal mining operation in southwestern China, state media reported on Sunday (31 May), just days after the country's deadliest mining disaster in more than a decade claimed at least 82 lives.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment