The Israeli army reportedly proposed that it could seize yet more of the Gaza Strip, 75 per cent of which it already occupies, to put pressure on Hamas as ceasefire talks between both sides falter.
Israeli outlet Channel 12 said its sources described the plan as one for “taking over Gaza” although the report did not say how much new territory army officials suggest seizing.
It also cast the proposal as an effort by the army to counter a plan put forward by Israel’s defence minister earlier in the month to force all the strip’s population into the very south, a proposal former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said is akin to a “concentration camp”.
The army's reported plan comes as Israel significantly increases its fighting in the enclave, which is facing critical levels of hunger, mass killings at aid distribution sites and new Israeli army operations in areas not previously attacked. Ceasefire talks are also widely viewed to be stalling, despite optimism that an agreement was near at the beginning of the month.
Army chief Eyal Zamir is thought to oppose Defence Minister Israel Katz’s plan to create a “humanitarian city” on the ruins of the southern city of Rafah, believing that it is too complex to implement. Israeli outlet Israeli Hayom reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was still engaging with Mr Katz’s plan and that he blocked further discussion of Mr Zamir’s alternative proposal.
The Channel 12 report came as Mr Zamir told troops in Gaza that he had presented “options” to the country’s political leadership to “drive Hamas into increasing distress and reduce our troops’ attrition”.
Despite polling consistently showing most Israelis prefer an end to the war in favour of returning hostages, many in Mr Netanyahu’s far-right government want fighting to continue and appear to be unwilling to compromise on Hamas demands to guarantee and end to the war in ceasefire talks.
Settlements minister Orit Strock called on the military to fight in all areas of Gaza on Monday, even if it meant endangering the hostages. “There must not be ‘don’t touch me’ zones,” she told an Israeli radio station, referring to areas the military would not want to fight in for fear of harming hostages. She added that calculations cannot be made “about whether this person’s life is more important than that person’s life,” suggesting that not fighting Hamas in all areas of the strip, even those with hostages, would engender Israelis living around Gaza.
Senior researcher at Israeli think tank INSS and The Misgav Institute Kobi Michael told The National that a temporary Israeli military occupation of Gaza is the best option for Israel if ceasefire talks fail.
“According to my understanding no entity on the planet is willing to dismantle Hamas entirely bar the Israeli military, so eventually this is only valid option we really have,” he said, adding that Israel should gradually move from military occupation to handing control to a new civilian governing body over two to three years.
“There is a risk to hostages with ongoing fighting but the Israeli assumption is that they are the most significant asset Hamas has left, therefore they will do the most to keep them alive as their ultimate insurance policy.”
