Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing to approve plans for a full military occupation of the Gaza Strip, signaling a dramatic escalation in Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas. According to multiple Israeli media outlets, the Israeli war cabinet is expected to greenlight operations across the entire enclave, even in zones where Israeli hostages are being held.
“The decision has been made,” said a senior official in Netanyahu’s office, quoted by Channel 12’s chief political analyst Amit Sega. “Hamas won’t release more hostages without total surrender, and we won’t surrender. If we don’t act now, the hostages will starve to death and Gaza will remain under Hamas’s control.”
Netanyahu is set to convene his war cabinet on Tuesday, as the conflict nears two years since it reignited in October 2023. He is facing mounting pressure both domestically and internationally — to secure the release of captives held by Hamas, and to allow greater humanitarian aid into Gaza, where conditions have deteriorated amid ongoing Israeli bombardment and severe food shortages.
On Monday alone, at least 74 Palestinians, including 36 people seeking aid, were reportedly killed in Israeli attacks, according to medical sources in Gaza.
In response to the reported military escalation, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the plans, urging the international community to act swiftly to prevent what it called a potential expansion of “war crimes.” They cautioned that whether the reports are “trial balloons” or actual policy, the implications are serious and urgent.
Netanyahu reiterated his firm stance during a regular cabinet meeting Monday, saying:
“We must continue to stand together and fight together to achieve all our war objectives: the defeat of the enemy, the release of our hostages, and the assurance that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
Meanwhile, Hamas official Osama Hamdan accused the United States and Western governments of ignoring alleged Israeli war crimes, and blamed Netanyahu for prolonging the suffering of captives and civilians alike by resisting a ceasefire agreement.
To date, more than 60,930 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, including at least 18,430 children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
On the Israeli side, 49 captives remain in Hamas custody, with 27 of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli officials.
Netanyahu’s expected move to expand military operations marks a pivotal and potentially explosive phase of the war, with grave implications for the remaining hostages, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the fragile regional balance.
