https://arab.news/gsvh6
- The planned Israeli offensive could displace up to one million Palestinians over the next five months
- Israeli media has reported disagreements between Zamir and cabinet members over the plan’s feasibility
DUBAI: Israel is expected to seek security cabinet approval on Thursday evening for a new phased military plan to seize full control of the Gaza Strip, potentially displacing up to a million Palestinians over the next five months, according to Israeli media reports.
The plan, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would begin with a military offensive on Gaza City and central refugee camps, pushing much of the population southward toward the designated humanitarian zone in Mawasi, according to a report by .
The aim is to dismantle remaining Hamas strongholds and pressure the group to release the roughly 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom about 20 are believed to be alive.
The proposal comes amid reported internal friction at the highest levels of Israel’s leadership.
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir issued a pointed statement ahead of the expected cabinet meeting, vowing to continue expressing the army’s position “without fear.” Israeli media has reported disagreements between Zamir and cabinet members over the plan’s feasibility and the risks it poses to the hostages.
“We will continue to express our position without fear, in a pragmatic, independent, and professional manner,” Zamir said Thursday, according to a military statement. “We are not dealing with theory, we are dealing with matters of life and death, with the defense of the state.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz also weighed in, saying that while the military has a right to present its views, it must ultimately implement government policy. “The military must respect decisions made by the government,” Katz posted on social media Wednesday, following reports of Zamir’s opposition.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies are warning of a deepening crisis inside Gaza. A global hunger monitor has described the situation as a “famine scenario,” with starvation spreading, children under five dying from hunger-related causes, and humanitarian access still severely restricted.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported this week that food consumption in Gaza has dropped to its lowest level since the war began. As of early August, 81 percent of households are experiencing poor food consumption, more than double the 33 percent recorded in April.
A European Union official told Reuters there had been some limited progress, including increased fuel deliveries, reopened routes, and infrastructure repairs. However, they warned that a lack of safe conditions on the ground continues to severely hinder the distribution of aid at scale.
(With AFP)