The Israeli Security Cabinet has approved a controversial plan to occupy Gaza City after nearly 10 hours of intense deliberation, despite strong opposition from military leadership and widespread international condemnation. The decision comes amid escalating tensions over the fate of hostages held by Hamas and growing pressure from coalition partners to take decisive military action.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir engaged in heated confrontations with cabinet ministers during the marathon session, warning that occupying Gaza would endanger hostage lives and cause significant military casualties. Zamir argued that as forces enter sensitive areas, there would be no way to ensure hostages wouldn't be harmed, and warned of substantial attrition among Israeli forces. Ministers challenged him about the results of previous operations, claiming they failed to achieve their objectives.
The approved plan includes five key principles for ending the war: completely disarming Hamas, returning all hostages both living and deceased, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control over the territory, and establishing an alternative civilian government that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that the majority of cabinet ministers believed the IDF Chief of Staff's alternative plan would neither defeat Hamas nor secure the return of hostages.
International reaction has been swift and largely critical. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the decision "a mistake that will lead to more bloodshed," while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Berlin would not approve transfers of military equipment to Israel for use in Gaza operations. Denmark's Foreign Minister demanded Israel "immediately reverse its decision," and Australia warned the move would "worsen the humanitarian catastrophe" and violate international law.
Belgium summoned the Israeli ambassador following the cabinet decision, with Foreign Minister Maxim Prevot stating complete disagreement with both the Gaza plan and Israel's ongoing West Bank settlement activities. Jordan condemned the decision as illegal under international law, calling for immediate international intervention. Turkey's Foreign Minister demanded the UN Security Council adopt binding resolutions against Israel.
Domestic opposition has been equally fierce, particularly from hostage families and opposition politicians. The Hostage Families' Headquarters declared that "the Israeli government tonight sentenced the living hostages to death," calling it "an official declaration of abandoning the hostages." Kibbutz Nir Oz, which lost many residents in the October 7 attacks, described the decision as "a death sentence for hostages" and "a real emergency."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid characterized the cabinet decision as "a disaster" and "exactly what Hamas wanted," arguing it would lead to Israeli forces getting stuck in territory without purpose. Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman accused Netanyahu of "sacrificing the security of Israeli citizens for his seat," while Democratic Party chairman Yair Golan called for intensifying efforts to topple the government.
Even within the coalition, there are signs of dissent. Sources close to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich expressed disappointment with the proposal, describing it as "more of the same" rather than a decisive operation to achieve victory. They criticized it as a "limited and dangerous operation" designed merely to bring Hamas back to negotiations rather than establish full military control.
Meanwhile, operational developments continue on multiple fronts. The IDF eliminated a senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine official in Lebanon and destroyed rocket launching sites near Gaza. Commercial satellite imagery reportedly shows Israeli forces and equipment concentrating near the Gaza border, indicating preparation for a major ground operation.
As the crisis deepens, protests have erupted across Israel, with demonstrators blocking major highways including the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv. Anti-war protesters are demanding the return of hostages and an end to the conflict, while ultra-Orthodox groups are demonstrating against military conscription of yeshiva students. The convergence of these domestic pressures with international condemnation and military opposition creates an unprecedented challenge for Netanyahu's government as it moves forward with its Gaza occupation plan.
