Israel approves new plan to seize Gaza indefinitely

Israel has approved a new military plan to capture the entire Gaza Strip and maintain control for an unspecified period.

The decision comes after more than a year of war that has yet to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goals of destroying Hamas and securing the return of all Israeli hostages.

The plan includes provisions for distributing aid, though no supplies will be allowed in for now. An Israeli official said the strategy would push Gaza’s civilian population further south while ensuring aid doesn’t reach Hamas.

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“The newly approved offensive plan would move Gaza’s civilian population southward and keep humanitarian aid from falling into Hamas’s hands,” the official said.

On Sunday, the United Nations rejected what it called a new Israeli aid plan involving distribution through “Israeli hubs.” The UN warned the approach “appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy.”

It also said the plan would leave many people, including the most vulnerable, without essential supplies.

The Israeli cabinet approved the plan early Monday, just hours after announcing the call-up of tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

Officials say the strategy will help advance military goals and prevent Hamas from using aid to strengthen its control. They confirmed the plan includes “the capturing of the strip and the holding of territories.”

However, the strategy could displace hundreds of thousands more Palestinians to southern Gaza, worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis.

The war began after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages.

In response, Israel launched a ground offensive that has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

A ceasefire that briefly paused the fighting and allowed hostage-prisoner exchanges collapsed earlier this year, leading to renewed conflict.

(Sky News)

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