 "How long does Netanyahu intend to keep Gaza under Israeli occupation? He keeps everyone guessing")
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared plans to capture Gaza City, it is still not clear how such a takeover would be set in motion, as leaders within and outside Palestine say that a possible capture of the region would prolong the war and the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
Observers and officials within the government are torn on Bibi’s plan, with the Israeli left warning that a takeover would endanger the remaining hostages and the right saying the move will not be enough to destroy Hamas.
The occupation of Gaza City will mark an escalation in a war that has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of them civilians, as per an admission from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As Gaza City is one of the few places from which Israel has not yet expelled Palestinians, tens of thousands of people are expected to be displaced in the upcoming Israeli offensive to occupy the city.
No clarity
Although Netanyahu has made broad statements, Israel’s military has yet to finalise a detailed tactical plan. There has been no public clarity on when the occupation of the city will start, how long it will last, or how it will differ from Israel’s seizure of Gaza City in the early months of the 2023 war.
Last week, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the takeover of Gaza City. “The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will prepare for the takeover of Gaza City while ensuring the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” the PMO said in a statement.
Quick Reads
View AllAlthough intense strikes have continued in Gaza City and neighbouring areas, the army has not yet mobilised soldiers, who will most likely facilitate the operation of annexing the region.
Mediators continue efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas, and some Israeli officials suggest that Netanyahu’s announcement of a major escalation, paired with a delay in carrying it out, may be aimed at pressuring Hamas to offer greater concessions in the talks.
Journalists killed in Gaza
Al Jazeera said two of its correspondents, including a prominent reporter, and three cameramen were killed in an Israeli strike on their tent in Gaza City on Sunday.
The Israeli military admitted in a statement to targeting Anas al-Sharif, the reporter it labelled as a “terrorist” affiliated with Hamas.
The attack was the latest to see journalists targeted in the 22-month war in Gaza, with around 200 media workers killed over the course of the conflict, according to media watchdogs.
“Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City,” the Qatar-based broadcaster said.
With inputs from agencies
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