Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel intends to take full military control of the Gaza Strip, describing the move as essential to removing Hamas and safeguarding Israel's security. The declaration came during an interview with Fox News and ahead of a high-level Israeli security cabinet meeting expected to weigh final approval of the expanded operation.
"We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza," Netanyahu stated. "We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter... We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life."
The Israeli prime minister emphasized the occupation would not be permanent and said Israel hoped to eventually transition governance to "friendly Arab nations." His comments come as Israeli officials finalize plans for a ground campaign to seize the remainder of Gaza territory still outside IDF control.
Israel currently controls about 75% of Gaza. According to Israeli media, the proposed operation would send troops into the remaining quarter, displacing up to 1 million Palestinians and focusing on Gaza City. Channel 12 reported the campaign could last four to five months and involve up to five military divisions.
The proposed escalation has sparked internal resistance. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel's military chief of staff, reportedly warned the cabinet that full occupation could trap Israel in a prolonged insurgency and humanitarian crisis. "We are entering a Vietnam model, with our eyes wide open," one security official told local media.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to climb. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports over 61,000 Palestinians killed since the war began following Hamas's October 7, 2023, cross-border attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and over 250 kidnapped. The World Health Organization said Thursday that 99 people have died this year from malnutrition in Gaza and nearly 12,000 children under five suffer from acute malnutrition-the highest figure ever recorded in a single month.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, warned of a worsening catastrophe. "Malnutrition is widespread and hunger-related deaths are rising," he said. People in Gaza "have limited access to basic services, have faced repeated displacement and are now suffering from a blockade of food supplies."
The United Nations estimates less than 1.5% of Gaza's farmland remains usable, compounding the region's food crisis. The U.S., under President Donald Trump, has promised to assist in establishing food centers in Gaza. "We'll be helping with the food... and we're also going to make sure they don't have barriers stopping people," Trump said in July.
Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount from Israeli families of hostages held in Gaza. On Thursday, relatives of the roughly 20 surviving hostages set sail in boats from Ashkelon carrying posters and flags, demanding urgent action. "Continued obstruction, delay, and failure to bring our loved ones home will be a tragedy for generations," the families said. "Do not sacrifice our loved ones on the altar of an endless war."
Of the 251 people kidnapped during the October attack, 49 remain in Gaza. The Israeli army has declared 27 of them dead.
