Israeli cabinet approves new plan to occupy Gaza City: Axios
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US officials say President Trump has chosen not to intervene, opting instead to let "Israel" make its own strategic decisions.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to reporters at the US Capitol following a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson on July 8, 2025. (AP)
"Israel’s" security cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to occupy Gaza City, marking the first phase of a broader military operation that could extend to the entire Gaza Strip, according to a senior Israeli official.
The decision followed more than 10 hours of deliberations and signals a significant escalation in "Israel’s" aggression on Gaza.
US officials say President Trump has chosen not to intervene, opting instead to let "Israel" make its own strategic decisions.
As part of the upcoming offensive, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) are expected to issue evacuation orders to approximately 1 million Palestinians currently residing in Gaza City and surrounding areas.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office revealed the IOF will control Gaza City "while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones."
A strategy for siege
The office added that "an overwhelming majority of cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan presented to the cabinet [by the IDF] would not achieve the defeat of Hamas or the return of the hostages."
Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, voted against the cabinet’s decision, officials said.
Ben Gvir objected to any humanitarian aid reaching Gaza, while Smotrich pushed for a clause ensuring the military operation would continue unconditionally, even if Israeli captive negotiations begin.
Despite their opposition, a senior Israeli official clarified that the planned IOF offensive will be limited to Gaza City.
Five principles for ending the war
"The goal is to evacuate all Palestinian civilians from Gaza City to the central camps and other areas by October 7," according to the official. "A siege will be imposed on the Hamas militants who remain in Gaza City, and at the same time, a ground offensive will be carried out in Gaza City."
According to the prime minister's office, the Israeli cabinet has adopted five key principles for ending the war in Gaza.
The first three focus on disarming Hamas, securing the return of all captives, both living and deceased, and fully demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.
The remaining principles include maintaining complete Israeli security control over Gaza after the war, and establishing a new civilian administration that excludes both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The upcoming military operation to seize more areas of central Gaza, including Gaza City, is expected to take several months and displace around 1 million Palestinians. The IOF are also preparing to enter zones where captives are believed to be held, potentially putting them at further risk.
