Netanyahu isolated as Gaza City takeover plan faces western, Arab, domestic backlash

CAIRO – 8 August 2025: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is increasingly losing support from his closest allies over his plans to expand operations in Gaza indefinitely, the latest of which involves imposing security control over the entire enclave.

The Israeli security cabinet has approved Netanyahu’s proposal to seize Gaza City, located in the northern part of the enclave and home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom have been displaced multiple times during the war.

The five-point plan also indicates the establishment of an alternative civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas, the return of all captives, and demilitarisation of Gaza.

Israeli media reports suggest the operation will begin with the full takeover of Gaza City, involving the forced relocation of up to one million residents to southern parts of the strip.

Gaza war is taking a heavy toll on civilians. Over 200 people have died from starvation and malnutrition, half of them children, adding to more than 61,250 fatalities since the war began. Photo: WAFA

Germany announced a suspension of all arms exports to Israel that could be used in military operations in Gaza until further notice.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it is “increasingly difficult to understand” how Israel’s recent plan to seize Gaza City will help achieve the goals of freeing captives and disarming Hamas.

European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the Israeli decision “must have consequences for EU-Israel relations, to be assessed by the Council,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged the Israeli government to “reconsider” its move.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined global criticism against the Israeli plan, describing it as “wrong” as it “will do nothing bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages” and “will only bring more bloodshed.”

Belgium has summoned the Israeli ambassador following the decision, calling the “continued colonization” of Palestinian territories “unacceptable and contrary to international law.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said the Israeli plans “will only cause more destruction and suffering” and his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp called the scheme a "wrong move”.

Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon warned that such attempts “would further aggravate the already untenable humanitarian conditions” in the enclave and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed extreme concerns about the worsening humanitarian situation.

The US seemingly remains supportive of Israeli policies, saying that the US share “a lot of common objectives” regarding the move to expand the offensive in Gaza but “there is some disagreement about how exactly to accomplish those common objectives.”

Domestically, Opposition leader Yair Lapid called the government’s decision “a disaster,” accusing far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of pushing Netanyahu into “exactly what Hamas wanted.”

The families of Israeli captives have protested the Israeli decision, which threatens the lives of their beloved ones. Around 20 living captives are believed to be still alive in Gaza but are thought to be suffering from the starvation spreading across the enclave due to Israeli aid restrictions.

Thousands of Israelis are reportedly preparing to organize protests over the weekend, according to The Guardian.

Hamas accused Netanyahu and the Israeli government of being indifferent to the fate of their captives, knowingly risking their lives by expanding the operations.

The movement asserted that “this criminal adventure will cost [Israel] a heavy price," while blaming the US administration for providing political cover and direct military support for the aggression.

Arab states have also condemned the Israeli move with the Arab Parliament calling for an urgent international action, stating that the decision undermines all efforts to secure a ceasefire, end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state.

The Arab Parliament said the decision reveals the true intentions behind prolonging the war and worsening the humanitarian tragedy affecting over two million Palestinians in Gaza.

Egypt warned that Israel’s “continued policy of starvation, systematic killing, and genocide against the unarmed Palestinian people will only fuel the conflict, escalate tensions, deepen hatred, and spread extremism across the region.”

The Israeli operation comes at a time when Gaza is already grappling with widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease, with famine looming due to Israel’s crackdown on essential infrastructure and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, amounting to a full blockade for nearly three months this year.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 200 people have died from starvation and malnutrition so far, nearly half of them children, adding to a rapidly rising toll from Israeli strikes, which has surpassed 61,250 since the war began.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk said the Israeli government’s plan for a full military takeover of Gaza “must be immediately halted.”