Netanyahu says Israel will ‘take control’ to dismantle Hamas, as allies warn of humanitarian disaster and open-ended occupation
Israel’s security cabinet has approved a controversial plan to seize control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in the nearly two-year war against Hamas. The announcement follows weeks of growing pressure from far-right ministers and increasing frustration over the failure to destroy Hamas or rescue remaining hostages.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Friday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will “prepare for taking control of Gaza City,” with the broader aim of achieving five objectives: disarming Hamas, returning hostages, demilitarising the strip, asserting Israeli security control, and installing a new civilian authority not linked to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
While the plan officially targets Gaza City, Israel’s largest urban centre, it appears to lay the groundwork for a wider occupation. Israeli forces already control much of the enclave, and commercial satellite imagery has shown a buildup of troops and armour near the border, fuelling expectations of another ground offensive.
Netanyahu told Fox News earlier this week that Israel does not plan to govern Gaza long-term but wants to install an “Arab force” to run the territory after Hamas is removed. He ruled out handing control to the Palestinian Authority and offered no details on who would comprise the alternative civilian administration.
Global backlash and warnings of catastrophe
The announcement has drawn swift and widespread international condemnation, with world leaders, human rights officials, and aid groups warning that a new offensive would deepen an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the decision marks a “dangerous escalation” that risks “deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians.” UN rights chief Volker Türk called the move a violation of the International Court of Justice’s order to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory.
Governments across Europe and the Middle East also denounced the plan. Germany suspended military exports to Israel, while France, the UK, Turkey, and China warned it would only lead to more bloodshed and undermine prospects for peace. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran accused Israel of pursuing forced displacement and ethnic cleansing. Palestinian officials described the plan as “a complete crime.”
The European Union’s top officials said the move violates international law, with European Council President Antonio Costa urging “consequences for EU–Israel relations.” Belgium summoned the Israeli ambassador; Spain, Sweden, Finland, and Canada all condemned the plan as destabilising and counterproductive.
Domestic dissent and rising fears for hostages
The plan has also sparked fierce domestic backlash within Israel. Families of hostages held in Gaza protested overnight, fearing a new invasion would jeopardise the remaining captives’ lives. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse demonstrators.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the decision “a disaster which will lead to many more disasters,” accusing Netanyahu of ignoring military advice and caving to the far-right. Reports from Israeli media suggest senior army officials, including the IDF’s chief of staff, strongly opposed the plan, fearing it would mire the country in a costly, open-ended occupation.
Even the conservative-leaning Jerusalem Post warned in an editorial that the operation could become “Israel’s Vietnam,” creating endless cycles of resistance and retaliation.
A return to Gaza — and no exit strategy
Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, citing the difficulty of maintaining control over a densely populated area. Since Hamas took control in 2007, the enclave has been under blockade. Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and saw around 250 people kidnapped, Israel launched a massive offensive that has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to local officials.
Despite the scale of destruction, Israel has not achieved its twin objectives of dismantling Hamas and returning all hostages. Many analysts argue the lack of a “day after” plan has become a strategic liability.
Israel’s new proposal has so far excluded viable alternatives like the Arab League’s proposal for a technocratic Palestinian-led government backed by an international peacekeeping force. Netanyahu has also resisted calls for a permanent ceasefire—another key Hamas demand in ongoing negotiations.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire. The UN’s food security agency warned last week that the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding. The Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has replaced UN-led aid distribution in much of the strip, has faced accusations of mismanagement and complicity in civilian deaths. Médecins Sans Frontières described its aid efforts as “orchestrated killing,” a claim GHF called “false and disgraceful.”
A looming quagmire
Israeli officials say the occupation of Gaza City could take up to three months and displace up to a million people. It is unclear how humanitarian corridors will be managed or whether the military has plans for post-occupation governance.
As with Israel’s 58-year presence in the West Bank, what began as a temporary military operation now risks hardening into long-term control. Some government ministers have openly advocated re-settling Gaza with Israelis, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the plan as “closer than ever” to reality.
For many observers, the latest move reflects not a clear strategy, but a grim pattern: the refusal to admit that prior goals have failed, and the belief that escalation is the only viable path forward.
