Israel's Security Cabinet Agrees With Gaza City's Mastery Plan

JAKARTA - Israel's Security Cabinet on Friday morning plans by the Prime Minister to take control of Gaza City, as plans to expand Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations despite increasingly intensive criticism at home and abroad over the war that has lasted nearly two years and destroyed it.

"IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian assistance to civilians outside the combat zone," PM Netanyahu's office said.

Although PM Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel intends to control the entire Gaza Strip militarily, plans approved on Friday focus specifically on Gaza City, the largest city in the Palestinian enclave, located in the north.

Reporter Axios, Barak Ravid, quoted an Israeli official as saying to X the plan involved evacuating Palestinian civilians from Gaza City and launching a ground attack there.

As previously reported, when asked if Israel would control the entire coastal area, PM Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer in an interview on Thursday: "We intend to do it."

However, he said Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces who would rule it. However, he did not specify which government or Arab state might be involved.

"We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to rule it. We don't want to be there as a government agency," he said.

Earlier, Israeli officials described the previous meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir as tense, with him rejecting the expansion of the Israeli campaign.

One of the scenarios considered ahead of the security meeting is the gradual takeover of areas in Gaza that are not yet under military control, said a government source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Evacuation warnings can be issued to Palestinians in certain areas of Gaza, potentially giving them a few weeks before the military moves, the person added.

In a statement on Friday, PM Netanyahu's office said most members of the political-security cabinet believed "the alternative plans proposed in the cabinet would not achieve Hamas defeat or return the hostages."

Two sources from the government previously said that any resolution by the security cabinet needed to be approved by the full cabinet, which may only be convened on Sunday.

The full control over the region will reverse Israel's 2005 decision to withdraw Israeli citizens and soldiers from Gaza, while maintaining control over its borders, airspace, and utility.

The far-right parties blamed the withdrawal decision on the success of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, gaining power there in the 2006 general election.

It is unclear whether PM Netanyahu is planning a prolonged takeover or a short-term operation. Israel has repeatedly said it aims to dissolve Hamas and release Israeli hostages.