TEL AVIV, Aug 5 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met senior safety officers to finalise a brand new technique for the practically two-year war in the Gaza Strip, his workplace mentioned on Tuesday, with media reporting he favoured a whole army takeover of the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory.
Regardless of intense worldwide strain for a ceasefire to ease hunger and appalling situations within the besieged enclave, efforts to mediate a truce between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, have collapsed.
Native well being authorities mentioned not less than 20 individuals have been killed by Israeli gunfire as they waited for United Nations help vans within the northern Gaza Strip. In southern Gaza, 20 individuals have been wounded by Israeli gunfire as they waited to get help from U.N. help vans close to Morag Sq. close to Rafah, medics mentioned.
Eight extra individuals died of hunger or malnutrition within the final day, Gaza’s Well being Ministry mentioned, whereas not less than 80 individuals have been killed within the newest Israeli firing.
Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned in an announcement that the prime minister had held a “restricted safety dialogue” lasting about three hours throughout which army Chief of Workers Eyal Zamir “introduced the choices for persevering with the marketing campaign in Gaza”.
An Israeli official had earlier informed Reuters that Defence Minister Israel Katz and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a confidant of Netanyahu, would additionally attend the assembly to determine on a method to take to the cupboard this week. Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the cupboard would convene on Thursday at 6 p.m. (1500 GMT).
Israel’s Channel 12, citing an official from Netanyahu’s workplace, had mentioned the prime minister was leaning in the direction of taking management of your complete territory. That will reverse a 2005 resolution to withdraw Israeli residents and troopers from Gaza, whereas retaining management over its borders, airspace and utilities, a transfer right-wing events blame for Hamas gaining energy there within the 2006 election.
It was unclear, nonetheless, whether or not Netanyahu was foreseeing a chronic takeover or a short-term operation aimed toward dismantling Hamas and liberating Israeli hostages. The prime minister’s workplace declined to touch upon the Channel 12 report.
“It’s nonetheless crucial to finish the defeat of the enemy in Gaza, launch our hostages and make sure that Gaza by no means once more constitutes a risk to Israel,” Netanyahu informed new recruits at a army base. “We aren’t giving up on any of those missions.”
The U.N. known as studies a few doable resolution to increase Israel’s army operations all through the Gaza Strip “deeply alarming” if true.
U.S. President Donald Trump declined to say whether or not the U.S., Israel’s closest army ally, supported Netanyahu’s plans.
“I do know that we’re there now making an attempt to get individuals fed,” Trump informed reporters. “So far as the remainder of it, I actually can’t say. That’s going to be just about as much as Israel.”
On Saturday, Hamas launched a video of the Israeli hostage Evyatar David, showing emaciated in what gave the impression to be an underground tunnel. The pictures shocked Israelis and sparked worldwide condemnation.
All through the battle, there was sustained worldwide strain on Hamas to launch the remaining 50 individuals taken hostage in 2023, of whom Israeli officers estimate 20 are nonetheless alive. Most hostages have been launched throughout ceasefires following diplomatic negotiations. Israel broke the final ceasefire.
PRESSURE TACTIC?
A Palestinian official mentioned the suggestion of a full Israeli army takeover of Gaza could also be a tactic to strain Hamas into concessions, whereas the Palestinian Overseas Ministry urged overseas nations to take heed of the studies.
“The ministry urges nations and the worldwide neighborhood to deal with these leaks with utmost seriousness and to intervene urgently to stop their implementation, whether or not these leaks are supposed to exert strain, check worldwide reactions, or are real and critical,” it mentioned.
Israel’s coalition authorities, essentially the most right-wing and religiously conservative in its historical past, contains far-right politicians who advocate the annexation of each Gaza and the West Financial institution and inspiring Palestinians to go away their homeland. The Worldwide Courtroom of Justice mentioned in 2024 that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and should end soon.
Practically two years of combating in Gaza have strained Israel’s army, which has a small standing military and has needed to repeatedly mobilise reservists; some army leaders have warned in opposition to increasing the army occupation.
In an indication of variations between some members of Israel’s ruling coalition and the army, far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben Gvir challenged army head Zamir to state he would adjust to authorities directives even when a call was made to take all of Gaza.
The assertion from Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned the Israeli Defence Forces have been “ready to implement any resolution that can be made by the Political-Safety Cupboard.”
HUNGER
The battle was triggered when Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities and army bases close to Gaza on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 individuals, together with greater than 700 civilians, have been killed, and 251 hostages have been taken to Gaza.
Israel’s army response has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, killing greater than 61,000 individuals, principally civilians, in keeping with Palestinian well being authorities.
Israel’s marketing campaign has compelled practically all of Gaza’s greater than 2 million individuals from their properties and precipitated what a worldwide starvation monitor known as final week an unfolding famine.
Some 188 Palestinians, together with 94 kids, have died from starvation because the battle started, in keeping with Gaza authorities.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks pushed into central Gaza, nevertheless it was not clear if the transfer was half of a bigger floor offensive.
Palestinians residing within the final quarter of territory the place Israel has not but taken army management, by way of floor incursions or calls for for civilians to go away, mentioned any new push can be catastrophic.
“If the tanks pushed via, the place would we go, into the ocean?” mentioned Abu Jehad, a Gaza wooden service provider. “This can be like a dying sentence to your complete inhabitants.”
(Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalemn, Alexander Cornwell in Tel Aviv and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo; Writing by Angus McDowall, Andrew Cawthorne, Alex Richardson and James Oliphant; Modifying by Alison Williams, Alexandra Hudson, Rod Nickel and Alistair Bell)
