Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Tuesday with high-ranking security authorities to discuss the next phase of the War in the Gaza Strip. The meeting lasted about three hours and, according to the Premier’s Office, dealt with strategies to expand the military offensive against Hamas. Israel’s defense forces chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, presented different options to continue the campaign.
According to Israeli broadcaster Canal 12, Netanyahu intends to propose to the safety office the total military taken of the Gaza Strip. The initiative, however, faces resistance within the Military High Command. It is still unclear whether the proposal involves a prolonged occupation of the territory or a short -term operation to weaken Hamas and rescue Israeli hostages.
The United States government through press secretary Tammy Bruce said it is still focused on rescuing hostages, including two US citizens, and preventing Hamas from controlling Gaza. The Israeli media reports that the security office should meet again on Thursday (7) to deepen the discussion about the next steps of the war.
Netanyahu’s plan generated reactions inside and outside Israel. Hood families showed concern about the risks that the offensive can represent to their relatives, while former Israeli National Security officials reported a letter asking US President Donald Trump to press Netanyahu to end the war. According to research, three out of four Israelis support a ceasefire in exchange for the release of the kidnapped.
Behind the scenes, Israeli analysts manifest skepticism as to the effectiveness of the proposal. The columnist Nahum Barnea of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper wrote that Netanyahu “never before bet on such a large scale” and stressed that after nearly two years of conflict, there is distrust of the viability of the announced goals. For Barnea, the premie would be more interested in prolonging the war than to solve it.
The occupation plan also raises humanitarian concerns. According to the UN and international organizations, about 90% of the population of Gaza – more than 2 million people – has been displaced since the beginning of the conflict. The distribution of help faces blockages, and part of the population is at risk of hunger. The proposal of total occupation would increase the Israeli military presence in densely populated areas and put in check the operation of aid agencies in the territory.
