[MIDDLE EAST] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled plans for a new “intensified” military campaign in Gaza, signaling that Israeli forces will maintain control over captured areas and enforce widespread population displacement.
In a video statement released on X following the security cabinet’s approval of a plan to “conquer” Gaza and establish a “sustained presence” within the territory, Netanyahu said Israeli forces would no longer conduct temporary raids but would instead remain in the areas they capture. “The soldiers will not go in and then pull back,” he declared.
The announcement has reignited international concerns over Israel’s long-term objectives in Gaza, with critics highlighting the lack of a clear post-war governance strategy. Analysts warn that the absence of a political plan risks entrenching a protracted military occupation, further destabilizing the region and complicating diplomatic efforts led by the United States.
“This is being done for their own protection,” Netanyahu said, referring to the planned population movements.
Brigadier General Efi Dufferin, Israel’s chief military spokesperson, later confirmed that the newly launched Operation Gideon’s Chariots would entail large-scale attacks and the relocation of much of Gaza’s population to areas deemed free of Hamas. He said the campaign would continue to focus on airstrikes, targeting militant infrastructure, and eliminating operatives.
The security cabinet’s unanimous decision to proceed with the operation marks a significant escalation beyond previous military objectives in Gaza and is expected to provoke sharp international backlash.
Key regional actors, including Egypt and Jordan—both long-standing U.S. allies with peace treaties with Israel—have issued strong warnings against any forced displacement of Palestinians. Egyptian officials, speaking privately, indicated such actions could threaten diplomatic ties, while Jordan’s King Abdullah II called the proposal a "red line" that could inflame the wider Arab world.
“This will inevitably result in more civilian casualties and further destruction,” said a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary General António Guterres. “Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of any future Palestinian state.”
The UK Foreign Office echoed those concerns, stating: “The UK does not support an expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Continued fighting is in nobody’s interest.”
Since the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in mid-March, Israeli forces have stepped up bombardments and reinforced buffer zones along Gaza’s border, expanding control over key areas in the north and south. These buffer zones, which Israel says are necessary to prevent attacks, now cover nearly 20% of Gaza’s most fertile land, according to satellite data, worsening food insecurity as farmers are cut off from fields and greenhouses.
Currently, more than 70% of Gaza is either under Israeli military control or subject to evacuation orders issued by Israel. On Sunday, Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir announced the call-up of tens of thousands of reservists to replace regular troops, who will be deployed to Gaza as part of the new offensive. Zamir has resisted calls from some ministers for the military to oversee aid distribution, citing concerns about its impact on operational readiness.
Gaza’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate rapidly. Aid workers report chaotic scenes, with civilians swarming relief trucks and violent clashes erupting over dwindling supplies. The World Food Programme has warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where Israeli restrictions have prevented most aid deliveries. U.N. agencies report that at least 25 children have died recently from malnutrition and dehydration, a toll expected to rise sharply unless access improves.
While Israeli officials argue that sufficient food exists in Gaza, they have floated the idea of limited humanitarian aid distributions under military oversight, purportedly to prevent supplies from reaching Hamas and to undermine its governance.
Israel maintains that the renewed blockade and airstrikes are part of an effort to force Hamas to release the remaining 58 hostages taken during the militant group’s October 2023 attack, which killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israel’s retaliatory campaign has now killed at least 52,535 people in the territory, the majority civilians.
Officials also confirmed that Netanyahu is still pushing a January proposal backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump to relocate Gaza’s population to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan. “A voluntary transfer programme for Gaza residents will be part of the operation’s goals,” a senior Israeli security official said.
On Monday, Israeli jets launched fresh airstrikes on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen’s Hodeida province, following a missile strike by the Iran-backed group that hit Israel’s main airport. The rebels reported six strikes on Hodeida’s port and further attacks on industrial areas in the province. Israeli media said dozens of aircraft took part in the operation.
Trump is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE later this month, a trip that could influence the Israeli government’s decision-making around ceasefire negotiations and aid access. The former president has publicly urged Netanyahu to show greater consideration for Gaza and may face pressure from Gulf leaders to help end the conflict.
Israeli military officials say seizing territory is part of a strategy to gain leverage over Hamas in negotiations. Some analysts believe the new offensive and the stated plans for long-term control of Gaza are aimed as much at pressuring Hamas as at securing territory.
Humanitarian groups have condemned Israeli plans to replace existing aid delivery mechanisms with IDF-controlled distribution hubs managed by private contractors. The U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) accused Israel of attempting to dismantle the current humanitarian system in favor of a militarized model.
“This undermines core humanitarian principles,” said an OCHA spokesperson. “It puts civilians at risk by forcing them into militarized zones to receive aid and entrenches displacement.”
Hamas denounced the proposed aid framework as “political blackmail” and blamed Israel for the humanitarian crisis engulfing the enclave.
Meanwhile, protests broke out in Jerusalem, with demonstrators opposing the planned offensive. A coalition representing families of hostages held in Gaza condemned the move, warning it endangers both the hostages and Israeli soldiers.
Netanyahu’s political survival remains closely tied to hardline right-wing factions in his coalition, many of whom have long pushed for the reoccupation and resettlement of Gaza—territory Israel withdrew from in 2005. The Israeli parliament reconvened on Monday as airstrikes across Gaza continued.
At least 32 people were killed in overnight strikes on Gaza City, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya, according to hospital staff. Among the dead were eight women and children, whose bodies were taken to al-Shifa hospital.
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