Israel’s new Gaza plan: Capture all of the Strip, keep it for as long as it deems fit

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a new plan to expand military operations in Gaza, including the full capture of the Palestinian territory and maintaining control over it indefinitely, an Israeli official said Monday (May 5).

The plan, unanimously endorsed in an overnight cabinet meeting, comes as the military calls thousands of reservists to support an intensified offensive in the Gaza Strip. The move follows a breakdown in talks over a potential ceasefire and the ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The official said the plan includes “the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories,” as well as continued efforts to relocate civilians from conflict areas in northern Gaza to the south.

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A renewed campaign in Gaza

The military resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 after a two-month lull in large-scale fighting. The renewed campaign has included heavy airstrikes and expanded ground manoeuvres. On Monday, Palestinian rescue officials reported at least 19 people killed in Israeli strikes on northern Gaza.

Israel has said the offensive is aimed at dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities and securing the release of hostages taken during the group’s October 7 attack that sparked the war. But critics, including families of the captives, say the current military strategy is putting the hostages at greater risk.

“The plan approved by the cabinet deserves to be called the ‘Smotrich-Netanyahu Plan’ for sacrificing the hostages,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

On Sunday (May 4), military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the army had begun mobilising tens of thousands of reservists in preparation for the expanded phase of the operation.

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The Israeli official also said Netanyahu is continuing to promote a proposal first floated by former US President Donald Trump earlier this year for the voluntary relocation of Gazans to neighbouring countries. The plan has been strongly opposed by Egypt, Jordan, and international humanitarian groups.

Humanitarian aid flow to resume?

The cabinet also approved the possibility of distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza under conditions meant to prevent Hamas from gaining access to supplies. The official said there is “currently enough food” in the territory, despite warnings from the United Nations and aid organisations about severe shortages.

The United Nations World Food Programme said it has exhausted its food stocks in Gaza, and all 25 bakeries it supports have shut down due to a lack of flour and fuel. Gaza has been under a full Israeli blockade since March 2.

Israel has not publicly detailed how long it plans to retain control over Gaza if it succeeds in capturing the entire territory. Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once during the seven-month-long war, many of them from northern areas now largely destroyed by fighting.

The international community, including the United States, has urged Israel to devise a post-war governance plan for Gaza that does not involve indefinite Israeli occupation. However, no such plan has been formally announced.

With inputs from AFP