By Cheta Okoye
Israel’s security cabinet has greenlit a strategic operation to seize control of the entire Gaza Strip and maintain an indefinite military presence, according to two unnamed officials. The move aims to intensify pressure on Hamas to release remaining hostages and agree to a ceasefire, even as negotiations continue.
The plan, expected to be
implemented after US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the region,
includes forcibly relocating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians within
southern Gaza. Israel already controls roughly half the territory, including a
border buffer zone and three east-west corridors. On Sunday, Lieutenant General
Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief, announced the mobilization of tens of
thousands of reservists, signaling an expansion of operations.
Hostage Crisis Looms Over
Offensive
Hamas still holds 59 captives,
with at least 35 believed dead. General Zamir reportedly warned ministers that
a full-scale invasion could jeopardize their recovery, a concern long voiced by
hostages’ families. Yet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists military
pressure remains key to securing a deal.
Meanwhile, Israel has approved
a revised aid mechanism to resume deliveries while preventing Hamas from
diverting supplies. An aid blockade since early March has plunged Gaza into
famine-like conditions, with over 2,600 killed in Israeli strikes since
mid-March. As looting spreads among the enclave’s 2.3 million residents, the
offensive risks deepening one of the war’s gravest humanitarian crises.
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