Jerusalem: Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s five-point plan, which includes taking control of Gaza City as part of broader efforts to dismantle Hamas and bring an end to the ongoing conflict in the region.
The decision was made amid widespread anti-government protests across Israel, with demonstrators demanding an immediate ceasefire and the swift return of hostages held by Hamas for the past 22 months.
“A decisive majority of the Security Cabinet ministers concluded that the alternative proposal presented would not achieve the defeat of Hamas or secure the release of the hostages,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office. Details of the alternative plan have not been made public.
The approved plan outlines five key objectives:
- Disarmament of Hamas
- Return of all hostages
- Demilitarisation of Gaza
- Israeli security control over Gaza
- Establishment of a civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority
Netanyahu’s office added that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will begin preparations to assume control of Gaza City, while continuing to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians located outside combat zones.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel that left approximately 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. Since then, Israeli military operations in Gaza have reportedly resulted in an estimated 60,000 deaths. The region is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with extreme shortages of food and medicine. The World Health Organization recently warned that malnutrition rates in Gaza have reached “alarming levels.”
Speaking to a delegation of Indian journalists ahead of the Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel has no intention of annexing or occupying Gaza. Instead, he said, the primary goals are to eliminate Hamas, secure the return of the hostages, and eventually transfer control of the territory to a transitional government.
“We do not seek to occupy or annex Gaza,” Netanyahu stated. “Our objective is to destroy Hamas, recover our hostages, and hand over the administration of Gaza to a transitional authority.”
When asked about the food crisis, he said that over two million tonnes of food had been sent to Gaza, but much of it was “interdicted.”
