Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that a new offensive in Gaza will be a comprehensive military operation aimed at defeating Hamas.However, he refrained from specifying how much of the enclave’s territory would be affected.
This follows an Israeli official’s announcement that the security cabinet has approved an expansion of military operations in Gaza, including plans for the “conquest” of the territory and encouraging its residents to evacuate.
“The population will be relocated for their own safety,” Mr. Netanyahu mentioned in a video shared on X. He emphasized that Israeli soldiers would not enter Gaza, conduct raids, and then withdraw.
The European Union has urged Israel to exercise restraint, while the UN and aid organizations have consistently warned of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with famine looming after over two months of a total Israeli blockade.
“The European Union is worried about the planned escalation by Israeli forces in Gaza, which will lead to more casualties and suffering for the Palestinian population,” EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni stated.
“We call on Israel to practice the utmost restraint,” he added.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris described the reports regarding the planned escalation of Israeli military operations as “alarming.”
“Such actions would result in further fatalities, injuries, and immense suffering for the Palestinian population who are already experiencing a dire humanitarian crisis,” he remarked.
“I strongly encourage the Israeli authorities to show restraint.”
The news of a potential escalation in military operations by Israeli forces in Gaza is concerning.
A move like this would lead to additional deaths, injuries, and significant suffering among the Palestinian population, which is already in a severe humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/HlBOp9eds4
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 5, 2025
Meanwhile, the head of the Norwegian Refugee Council stated that the plan is “fundamentally against humanitarian principles.”
“We cannot and will not engage in actions that violate humanitarian principles,” Jan Egeland remarked, emphasizing that “the United Nations agencies, all other international humanitarian groups, and NGOs have declined to participate in this proposal from the Israeli cabinet and military.”
Palestinians queue for hot food at a charity kitchen at the Nuseirat refugee camp
The decision, made overnight, followed the military’s announcement that it was calling up tens of thousands of reservists to intensify its offensive against Hamas in Gaza.
“The plan will encompass various aspects, including the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the retention of the territory, relocating the Gaza population south for their protection,” the official stated.
A report by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, citing informed sources, indicated that the new approach would be gradual and take months, with forces initially concentrating on one area of the battered enclave.
This timeline could allow for discussions on a ceasefire and hostage release deal ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump to the region next week, according to security cabinet minister Zeev Elkin.
“There is still a window of opportunity until President Trump concludes his visit to the Middle East, if Hamas recognizes our seriousness,” Mr. Elkin told Kan this morning.
Already controlling about a third of Gaza’s territory, Israel resumed ground operations in March after the collapse of a US-backed ceasefire that had paused fighting for two months.
It has since implemented a complete blockade on aid entering the enclave.
The population of Gaza has been displaced multiple times since October 2023
Mr. Elkin noted that instead of conducting raids in particular areas and then withdrawing as the military had previously done, Israeli forces would now retain control of the territories they capture until either Hamas is defeated or agrees to disarm and vacate Gaza.
Hamas has dismissed such demands. Israel has yet to outline a clear strategy for post-war Gaza while facing international pressure to conclude a campaign that has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, leaving them reliant on rapidly dwindling aid supplies due to the blockade.
The Israeli official asserted that the newly sanctioned offensive plan would relocate Gaza’s civilian populace southward and prevent humanitarian aid from reaching Hamas, although the blockade will remain in place.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “continuing to promote” a proposal by Mr. Trump for the voluntary relocation of Gazans to neighboring countries such as Jordan or Egypt, the source added.
The cabinet, which includes Mr. Netanyahu and several Israeli ministers, has “unanimously approved” the plan aimed at defeating Gaza’s Islamist rulers, Hamas, and securing the return of hostages held in Gaza.
The official source indicated that the plan featured “significant strikes against Hamas,” without providing specifics.
Yesterday, army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir announced that the military was mobilizing “tens of thousands” of reservists to amplify its offensive in Gaza.
“The plan endorsed by the cabinet deserves to be referred to as the ‘Smotrich-Netanyahu Plan’ for sacrificing the hostages,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated.
People queue for food at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza
This reference pertains to far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Mr. Netanyahu, who presides over one of the most right-wing administrations in Israeli history.
Israel’s security cabinet has also sanctioned the “possibility of humanitarian distribution” in Gaza, which has been under full Israeli blockade since March 2.
It claimed that there is “currently sufficient food” in the territory, although humanitarian organizations and UN agencies have warned of the severe consequences of the blockade for Gaza’s 2.4 million people.
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The cabinet “approved by a significant majority the possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary, to prevent Hamas from gaining control of the supplies and to undermine its administrative capabilities,” the official remarked.
Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, stated on X that Israel is demanding that the UN and non-governmental organizations cease their aid distribution systems in Gaza.
“They aim to manipulate and militarize all aid to civilians, compelling us to deliver supplies through hubs designated by the Israeli military, once the government consents to reopen crossings. The NRC will uphold our humanitarian principles and, along with our peers, will refuse to engage in this new scheme,” he stated.
Five-month-old Suwar Ashur is one of thousands of children suffering malnutrition
UNICEF Ireland Executive Director Peter Power expressed that Gaza is “approaching a worst-case scenario,” describing it as “nothing short of barbaric and inhumane.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he asserted that there is no justification for withholding food and water, adding that the blockade “must be acknowledged as a war crime.”
Mr. Power reported that UNICEF had documented 57 deaths due to complications from malnutrition and described children scavenging through rubbish piles for food.
Israeli soldiers clean the gun of a tank at a position near Israel’s border with Gaza
He noted that humanitarian workers are deeply concerned about Israel’s expansion plans, indicating that an influx of additional troops will only heighten the displacement of people being crammed into a continually shrinking, densely populated area.
“The decision to deploy more troops will exacerbate an already dire situation,” Mr. Power asserted.
Israel has escalated aerial bombardments and broadened ground operations in Gaza since resuming its offensive in the Palestinian territory on March 18.
Israel maintains that the blockade and increased bombings are intended to pressure Hamas to release hostages being held in Gaza.
Militants in the region continue to hold 58 hostages taken during Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals on the Israeli side, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel’s counter-offensive has claimed at least 52,535 lives in Gaza, mostly civilians, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
