Netanyahu’s proposal to take over Gaza City gets final cabinet approval: What’s next in Israel-Hamas war?

Israel’s security cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal for the “defeat of Hamas” after an hours-long meeting. In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday (Aug 8) that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will prepare to take over Gaza City and provide humanitarian aid to starving civilians in the territory.

“The Political-Security Cabinet approved the Prime Minister’s proposal for the defeat of Hamas. The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” Netanyahu’s office said on X.

The statement added that the majority of the cabinet members believed that the “alternative plan” presented to them would not achieve “the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages.”

While the statement did not elaborate on the alternative plan presented to the security cabinet, it likely refers to the proposal presented by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who has opposed the Israeli prime minister’s plans over humanitarian concerns and risking the lives of the hostages.

Despite his plans for taking over the territory, Netanyahu said that his country has no intention of annexing Gaza. “We want Gaza to be taken over by a governing body. No plans to annexe Gaza.” He added that rather than occupation, Israel aims to establish a “defence parameter around Gaza” to ensure security without territorial expansion.

The majority of cabinet members also backed five principles for ending the war with Hamas:
1. Disarming Hamas of its weapons.
2. Return of all hostages - both the living and the deceased.
3. Demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip.
4. Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip.
5. Establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

Meanwhile, protests have erupted across the country as Israelis accuse the government of continuing the war for political gains. However, Netanyahu has pushed for a complete takeover of Gaza despite international and domestic pressure.

Watch | Israel-Gaza War: Netanyahu Rules Out Annexing Gaza, Blames Hamas for Humanitarian Crisis