Israel's Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to occupy Gaza City, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed on Friday morning.
The statement did not use the term "occupation," rather using the term "takeover," due to legal ramifications for the civilian population in the enclave, Ynet reported.
Notably, this is not a full occupation of the Gaza Strip, but specifically of Gaza City. Some believe that this occupation is an expansion of the current operation — but only if the working assumption and goal remain that a hostage deal is still desired.
Security Cabinet adopts five principles for ending the war
The Security Cabinet also adopted five principles for ending the war, namely disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, both living and murdered, demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, Israel maintaining security control over the Gaza Strip, and the existence of a civilian government that is not controlled by either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
An absolute majority of cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan, which was presented to the Security Cabinet, would not achieve the defeat of Hamas or the return of the hostages.
"There is no humanitarian response for the million people we will transfer. Everything will be complex, I suggest that you remove the return of the hostages from the military objectives," IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Eyal Zamir said, reaffirming his objections to the plan.
"Stop talking to the media. We want a decision. We all worry about the hostages, but also about the soldiers who demand victory. There are constant briefings by military officials. You are subordinate to the political echelon. Learn from the police how to obey the decisions of the political echelon," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir responded to Zamir.
Notably, some cabinet ministers believe that the operation will not lead to a decisive victory or the release of hostages, and that a full-scale operation to occupy the entire Gaza Strip should have been carried out.
"We must talk about victory. If we go for a temporary deal, it is a defeat. We must not stop halfway. We must exact a price from Hamas; Hamas must pay a price for what it did," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented.
After the decision to occupy Gaza was made, sources close to Smotrich commented to Israeli media on his disappointment with the new plans, explaining that they seem to “aim for a deal more than a full military occupation.”
"This is not an operation to get complete military control of the territory, the only way to ensure victory and return the kidnapped. It is a specific and dangerous operation whose sole purpose is to return Hamas to the negotiating room," they said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz described Hamas in a later statement as “an extremist organization, part of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, that continues to strive for Israel’s destruction.” He linked the group to the “horrific massacre” it carried out and said it must be decisively defeated.
Katz said that the Security Cabinet’s decision sends a clear message that Israel is committed to its war objectives: The complete defeat of Hamas, creating conditions for the return of all hostages, and ensuring the safety of Israeli communities through a strong security buffer around Gaza.
The defense minister said he and Netanyahu have been authorized to approve IDF plans to implement the cabinet’s decision and that the army is already preparing for its full execution.
“Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist striking them with great force,” Katz said, adding that international criticism and threats of sanctions would not deter Israel.
He said the leadership must be worthy of the country’s soldiers — regular and reserve — fighting in Gaza’s tunnels, the families of hostages, the relatives of the fallen, and the wounded who “fought like lions to defend the homeland.”
Satellite footage indicates increased IDF mobilization near Gaza Strip, NBC reports
Commercial satellite imagery showed the IDF amassing troops and equipment near the Israel-Gaza border, according to three current and one former US official who all viewed the footage, NBC reported on Friday.
The sources stated that these troop movements and formations are signs of an "imminent major ground operation."
The plan, proposed by Netanyahu and deliberated in the meeting on Thursday-Friday overnight, includes encircling Gaza City and relocating around one million residents to the southern part of the enclave. Israeli public broadcaster KAN noted that the meeting lasted approximately 10 hours.
Following this, a senior Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that the military would “target the terrorist strongholds in the city,” with operations later expanding to the central refugee camps.
Occupation op. expected to last at least six months
The operation is expected to take at least six months. A senior official told the Post that Netanyahu is “determined that this is the only path to defeating Hamas.” In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, the prime minister stated: “We intend to militarily take over the entire Gaza Strip, dismantle Hamas, and transfer control to another authority.”
Regarding whether the Trump administration supports the move, a US official told the Post that “Israel is to decide what it needs to do for its own security.”
Hamas will treat any force formed to govern Gaza as an 'occupying' force linked to Israel, an official from the terror organization told Al Jazeera Mubasher on Thursday, following Netanyahu's remarks.
Meanwhile, Israeli politicians slammed the government ahead of the critical security cabinet meeting earlier on Thursday, as protests against the decision raged outside the meeting.
Family members of hostages held in Hamas captivity, along with hundreds of demonstrators, demanded that the government not proceed with the plans for the operation, warning of its harm.
Sarah Ben-Nun, Keshet Neev, Anna Barsky, and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.