Over the past week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made multiple statements in a series of interviews regarding their plan for a Gaza takeover, explaining that they had “no choice” but to take action because Hamas refuses to surrender.
The plan was approved by Israel’s security cabinet last Friday, despite the protests of tens of thousands of Israeli residents, including the families of hostages currently held in Gaza. Netanyahu, however, has not wavered in his stance.
“This is the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily,” he said in his first public comments since the plan was approved. The procedure will displace a lot of Palestinians in Gaza, and while Netanyahu has assured that residents will be given “ample food, water, and medical care,” he has not revealed any other details.
Additionally, Netanyahu has affirmed that Israel intends to take over all of Gaza. When asked why, he stated, “We want to liberate ourselves and the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”
However, Israel does not want to maintain permanent control over the region. Instead, they are looking to establish security perimeters and hand them over to the Arab forces. On the other hand, many of those Arab countries are condemning Netanyahu’s plan and fearing that the takeover could lead to further instability, in addition to undermining the potential for a two-state solution.
This planned escalation has also caused Israel to face pressure from foreign governments to increase humanitarian aid in the Gaza region, including reactions from the United Nations, the UK, France, and other countries. So far, the UN has reported evidence of famine and widespread starvation in Gaza, with 2.1 million people facing severe food insecurity, while the total number of deaths caused by malnutrition has reached 217, including 100 children.
The Israeli military believes it could seize the remaining parts of Gaza within months, but some security officials are unsure. Since October 7th, 2023, the war has been raging for nearly two years and has affected hundreds of thousands of people, but the end does not seem near, and the future remains uncertain.