Israeli army chief approves plans to occupy Gaza City
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Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir greenlights Gaza City occupation plan involving evacuation, encirclement, and gradual military entry.
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Israeli soldiers use binoculars to look at damaged buildings in the Gaza Strip, from southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025 (AP)
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has approved plans to occupy Gaza City, spanning two phases: a first phase involving evacuating and blockading the city, while the second phase entails a gradual, slow military entry into the urban area.
Israeli media reported on Sunday that the Israeli army's Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, has approved plans to occupy Gaza City, with Channel Kan stating that the plan is divided into two phases and expected to take four months to execute, according to Israeli estimates.
The first phase will involve establishing so-called "humanitarian zones with essential infrastructure" in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, paving the way for a large-scale evacuation of civilians from Gaza City. This will be followed by the launch of a ground operation to encircle the city while continuing the evacuation process.
In the second phase, Israeli forces will gradually enter and occupy the city, advancing slowly while continuing airstrikes.
'Israel' decides to occupy Gaza City
On August 7, the Israeli cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan, which includes the occupation of Gaza City, though the meeting was marked by sharp tensions as Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir raised multiple concerns, including warnings of a grave and imminent threat to Israeli captives held in the strip, only to have all his objections dismissed by the council members.
Among Zamir's key concerns is that after occupying Gaza City, the Israeli military anticipates facing guerrilla warfare operations by Hamas within the controlled areas, requiring meticulous planning to maintain dominance while minimizing these risks.
Since "Israel" launched its war on Gaza on October 7, as of August 17, the cumulative casualties from the ongoing Israeli offensive have reached 61,944 fatalities and 155,886 injuries, with 10,400 killed and 43,845 wounded since March 18, 2025.
Gaza hospitals have recorded 47 fatalities, including nine bodies pulled from rubble, along with 226 injured victims in 24 hours, while rescue teams report numerous additional casualties still trapped under destroyed buildings and in streets where relentless airstrikes prevent access to survivors.
