The Israeli government early Friday announced a new plan to occupy Gaza City following a late-night cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The announcement comes amid intensifying international calls for an end to the war and growing domestic protests over the ongoing conflict and the fate of remaining hostages held by Hamas.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — involving extensive ground and air operations — has so far killed tens of thousands, displaced the vast majority of the population, destroyed much of the enclave’s infrastructure, and pushed the region toward famine, according to aid groups and local authorities.
A new full-scale ground operation in Gaza City would likely deepen the already severe humanitarian crisis.
Netanyahu previously told Fox News that Israel intends to take “full control” of Gaza. Israeli forces currently control roughly three-quarters of the devastated coastal strip.
However, Friday’s cabinet decision stops short of explicitly declaring such an intention. Analysts suggest the move may be part of a broader strategy to pressure Hamas into accepting a cease-fire on terms favorable to Israel.
Gaza City remains one of the few areas in the enclave that has not yet been designated as an Israeli buffer zone or placed under formal evacuation orders.
A major ground operation in the city could displace tens of thousands more people and further disrupt already strained aid delivery efforts to starving civilians.
The exact number of current residents in Gaza City is unclear. While hundreds of thousands were evacuated in the early weeks of the war, many returned during a temporary cease-fire earlier this year.
