1 of 8 | Palestinian children wait for aircraft to drop aid by parachute, amid Israeli attacks, in western Gaza City, on Thursday. Photo by Mahmoud Issa/UPI | License Photo
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly moving toward full occupation of Gaza after dissent in the ranks and international condemnation.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with his security cabinet Thursday, an Israeli official said.
He met with the cabinet on Tuesday to discuss the occupation, where he said he favored occupying Gaza even if it meant that Hamas kills or harms hostages seized during attacks nearly two years ago, The Times of Israel reported.
Netanyahu is expected to ask the cabinet to approve plans for the Israel Defense Forces to gradually seize Gaza City, the largest city in the territory, the Israeli official told ABC News.
The cabinet is expected to meet at about 6 p.m. local time, or 11 a.m. ET, the source said.
The United Nations’ Miroslav Jenča told the U.N. Security Council earlier this week that the move would be against international law and was a “deeply alarming” prospect. Jenča is the Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs.
According to Israeli media, it would take tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers to take over Gaza.
Reports said the plan initially focuses on taking full control of Gaza City and relocating its 1 million residents further south. Forces would also take control of refugee camps in central Gaza and areas where hostages are believed to be held.
Reports said a second offensive would follow weeks later, along with a boost in humanitarian aid.
U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Fox News there would be a significant scaling up of distribution sites operated by the Israel- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
The GHF has been strongly criticized by the U.N. and aid agencies, who have accused it of being chaotic and forcing hungry Palestinians to travel long distances in dangerous conditions to try to access food.
Many have been shot dead in or around the sites run by GHF since it began operating in May. The Hamas-run health ministry and witnesses accused the IDF of the killings. The IDF has denied targeting civilians, saying soldiers have fired warning shots to keep crowds back or in response to threats.
The Tuesday meeting highlighted a disagreement between Netanyahu and Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of staff for the Israeli Defense Forces, The Jerusalem Post reported. Netanyahu said Israel will only be able to free the hostages with a change of approach, according to the paper. Zamir responded that occupying Gaza could be a trap that endangers the hostages.
Since launching its campaign to eradicate Hamas, Israel has faced growing international backlash on the toll it’s taken on Palestinian civilians who’ve faced death, displacement and, more recently, widespread starvation.
