Israeli security cabinet approves Netanyahu’s plan to occupy Gaza City

CAIRO – 8 August 2025: The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal for the Israeli military to reoccupy Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, as part of an effort to push more than one million Palestinians toward the southern part of the besieged enclave.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office, published by The Times of Israel, the cabinet endorsed Netanyahu’s plan aimed at defeating the Palestinian Hamas movement. The statement noted that Israel would provide humanitarian assistance to civilians “outside combat zones.”

A majority of cabinet members also backed a five-point list of demands that Israel would require in exchange for ending the war in Gaza. These include: the disarmament of Hamas; the return of all 50 remaining hostages—20 of whom are believed to be alive; the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; Israeli security control over the territory; and the establishment of an alternative civilian government or the reinstatement of the Palestinian Authority.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that most ministers rejected an "alternative plan" presented to the Security Cabinet, arguing it would not have ensured the defeat of Hamas or the return of the hostages.

While the statement did not detail the alternative proposal, it is believed to refer to a plan put forward by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who has publicly opposed the reoccupation of Gaza. Zamir warned that such an operation could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe and further jeopardize the lives of the hostages, The Times of Israel reported.

The decision to reoccupy Gaza City has sparked international condemnation and strong opposition within Israel. Critics, including members of the Israeli opposition, have labeled the plan "a disaster." Families of the hostages still believed to be held in Hamas tunnels have also voiced firm rejection.

The Palestinian presidency strongly condemned the Israeli Cabinet’s decision, calling it a dangerous escalation and a continuation of a policy of genocide. It denounced the plan as a crime aimed at forcibly displacing nearly one million Palestinians from Gaza City and the northern Strip to the south. The presidency described the move as a grave violation of international humanitarian law and United Nations resolutions, involving systematic killing, starvation, and siege.

Afterwards, the Israeli defense forces (IDF) -in a statement on its official Telegram Channel- announced that the forces are preparing for continuation of ground operations in the Gaza Strip.