Israel's security cabinet approved a plan on Friday evening to take control of Gaza City. The operation would be the latest in a war that has been ongoing for one year and 10 months, drawing criticism from both inside and outside Israel regarding the government's decision here.
Gaza City, located in the northern part of the strip bearing its name, is currently home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. The exact number is unknown, as the city has suffered significant damage due to Israeli military operations against Hamas and related jihadist groups, with nearly the entire population displaced multiple times.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview with Fox News last night that Israel intends to take full control of the Gaza Strip but later plans to transfer control to certain "Arab forces."
Little is known about Israel's new operational plan.
It is known that it is based on "five pillars for ending the war":
- Disarming Hamas;
- Freeing all hostages and returning the bodies of those taken;
- Demilitarizing the Gaza Strip;
- Israeli military and police controlling the border;
- Establishing an alternative civilian administration in the sector, with no representation from either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
