JERUSALEM (Diya TV) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel plans to take full military control of Gaza. The announcement comes despite warnings from Israel’s military leadership and growing concern from both domestic and international communities.
Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel does not intend to govern Gaza but wants to establish a security perimeter. “We don’t want to keep it,” Netanyahu said. “We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body.”
This statement marks a significant shift in Israel’s strategy in the nearly two-year-old war. The Israeli military currently controls about 75% of Gaza, according to military officials.
Netanyahu’s remarks come ahead of a high-level security cabinet meeting. The group is expected to discuss expanding military operations in Gaza. Military leaders, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, have cautioned against this move. They fear it could further endanger the remaining hostages and increase civilian deaths.
Israel’s plan could undo the 2005 decision to withdraw troops and settlers from Gaza. That withdrawal left control of borders, airspace, and utilities in Israel’s hands, but ended direct governance. The right-wing members of Netanyahu’s coalition have pushed for reoccupation. They argue that pulling out of Gaza allowed Hamas to rise to power after its 2006 election victory.
Netanyahu said Israel hopes to hand Gaza over to Arab forces after its military operation. He did not specify which countries might take over or how the transition would work. Earlier this year, Israel and the United States rejected an Egyptian-backed plan. That proposal would have created a government of Palestinian technocrats to manage Gaza after the war. It had the support of several Arab nations.
The uncertainty over who will govern Gaza has raised concerns among aid groups, the U.N., and regional leaders. There are still 50 hostages believed to be in Gaza. Israeli officials say about 20 of them may still be alive. Most hostages freed so far were released through negotiations, not military operations.
Families of the hostages have expressed frustration with the government. The Hostages Families Forum urged military leaders to oppose a broader war and push for a deal that would bring their loved ones home. Outside the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem, hundreds protested Thursday night. Many held signs with the faces of the hostages and called for an end to the war.
“I’m here because I am sick and tired of this government. It’s ruined our life,” said Noa Starkman, a resident of southern Israel.
Over 61,000 Palestinians have died since Israel began its assault on Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry. In just the last 24 hours, Israeli forces reportedly killed 98 Palestinians. The ongoing conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2 million residents multiple times. Aid agencies warn the region is on the brink of famine.
“Where should we go? We have been displaced and humiliated enough,” said Aya Mohammad, a 30-year-old Gaza resident. “You know what displacement is? It means your dignity is wiped out. You become a homeless beggar, searching for food, water, and medicine.”
Hamas continues to demand that any ceasefire include a permanent end to the war. Israel says Hamas is not serious about giving up power. Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from all sides. International leaders are calling for a ceasefire. Meanwhile, far-right ministers in his coalition want a complete occupation and the return of Israeli settlements in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Wednesday he supports a full military takeover.
The October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas sparked the war. That day, Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages into Gaza. With no clear path forward, both Israeli citizens and Palestinians continue to suffer the consequences of a prolonged and painful conflict.
