The Israeli Cabinet fully approved the Gaza City occupation plan in Thursday’s meeting, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.
“We approved the IDF's (Israeli army) plans to defeat Hamas in Gaza, with intensive fire, evacuation of civilians, and manoeuvres,” Katz said through the US social media company X.
Katz warned that “The gates of hell will open upon Hamas,” if it doesn’t agree to Israel’s terms.
“If they do not agree, Gaza (City), the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun,” he said.
Katz’s inflammatory statement comes amidst prior scepticism about whether Israel would follow through with the plan as described.
“It is not even definitively clear that whatever is announced is what will actually play out,” wrote David Horovitz, an Israeli writer and the founding editor of the Times of Israel, on August 6, when the plan was initially approved.
“The recently completed Gideon’s Chariots military operation proved less intensive than described ahead of time.”
Preparations as Israel kills dozens
The approval comes as at least 36 Palestinians were killed in strikes in central and southern Gaza on Thursday, according to local hospitals, and people protested in Israel and Gaza.
Israel's military has called up over 50,000 reservists and troops are already operating in the city’s Zeitoun neighbourhood and in Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, to prepare the groundwork for the expanded offensive, which could begin within days.
The move comes during heightened international condemnation of Israel deliberate starvation of Gaza and fears that many Palestinians will be forced to flee.
What are Israel’s terms?
Israel envisions forcing nearly one million Palestinians in Gaza City southward, encircling the city, and carrying out ground raids into residential districts.
Its five stated goals are to disarm Hamas, free hostages, demilitarise Gaza, impose Israeli security control and install “an alternative civil administration” to both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The Palestinian resistance group Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar and was prepared to release captives in exchange for ending the war, but it rejects disarmament without the establishment of a Palestinian state.
