Gambiaj.com – (Tel Aviv, Israel) – Israel announced Friday it plans to take control of Gaza City, a move that would mark a sharp escalation in its 22-month war against Hamas, drawing an immediate rejection from the militant group and fresh international appeals to end the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the military “will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones” but did not specify when the operation might begin.
Analysts say any assault would likely require the mobilization of thousands of troops and mass evacuations, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged enclave.
The war, triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted, has already displaced most of Gaza’s population, destroyed large swathes of the territory, and left it on the brink of famine. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed, a figure regarded by the UN as credible.
Netanyahu, speaking earlier to Fox News, signaled broader ambitions to “take control of all of Gaza” to ensure Israel’s security and “remove Hamas,” though he stressed Israel does not intend to keep the territory. Israel currently controls about three-quarters of the strip.
Hamas dismissed the plan, warning that any expansion of military action “will not be a walk in the park.”
The announcement comes as Egyptian and Qatari mediators work on a new ceasefire framework that would see all remaining hostages — alive and dead — released in exchange for a complete end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with Israel believing about 20 are alive.
Two Arab officials told the Associated Press the proposed deal also envisions Hamas relinquishing control of the strip to a Palestinian-Arab committee, which would oversee reconstruction until a new administration and police force — trained by two U.S. allies — take over.
The framework’s most contentious point remains the fate of Hamas’ weapons, with one option being a “freeze” that allows the group to retain but not use them.
International reaction to Israel’s latest plans has been swift. Britain urged restraint, while Germany suspended export licenses for military equipment potentially usable in Gaza. “The even harsher military action… makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will be achieved,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
Thursday’s fighting underscored the war’s relentless toll. Gaza’s hospitals reported at least 42 Palestinians killed, including 13 seeking food aid in an Israeli military zone in southern Gaza.
Local witnesses said people were also killed along routes to distribution sites run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, though the group and Israel’s military denied involvement in any violence that day.
As the prospect of an Israeli push into Gaza City looms, many residents say there is little left to destroy. “There is nothing left to occupy,” said Maysaa al-Heila, sheltering in a displacement camp. “There is no Gaza left.”
