Israel is expected on thursday to approve a new phased military plan to seize large parts of the Gaza Strip, potentially displacing up to a million Palestinians over the next five months, according to Israeli media reports.
The plan, backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would begin with an offensive on Gaza City and central refugee camps, pushing much of the population southward toward the Mawasi humanitarian zone, according to The Times of Israel.
The move is reportedly aimed at destroying what remains of Hamas and increasing pressure on the group to release the roughly 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom about 20 are believed to be alive.
Despite internal concerns, including warnings from senior Israeli military officials that such an operation could endanger the hostages, Netanyahu is expected to secure enough support from the high-level security cabinet, which convenes Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies are warning of a deepening crisis in the enclave. A global hunger monitor has described the situation as a “famine scenario,” with starvation spreading, children under five dying from hunger-related causes, and humanitarian access still severely restricted.
