Middle East Israel's security cabinet approves plan to take control of Gaza

[CharlieH]

 

Summary

• Israel's security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says

• Netanyahu earlier said he intended to take over all of Gaza - the approved plan focuses specifically on Gaza City, the largest city in the enclave where hundreds of thousands of people are living

• Taking control of Gaza City would likely be the first phase of a full takeover of Gaza, our Middle East correspondent says

• The escalation faces opposition in Israel, while the UN warns that Israel expanding military operations risks "catastrophic consequences" for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages

• "There's nothing left to occupy," a Palestinian in Gaza City said before the plan was approved. Families of hostages protested outside Netanyahu's office as the security cabinet met

• The Israeli government does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, into Gaza to report freely

 

The leader of the opposition in Israel says the security cabinet's plan to take over Gaza City is "a disaster" that will "lead to many more disasters".

Yair Lapid says a takeover of Gaza City would lead to the deaths of the remaining hostages and the killing of many Israeli soldiers.

The plan is "in complete opposition to the opinion of the military and security ranks", he adds. As we reported earlier, the army's chief of staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir has warned against the move.

He accuses Netanyahu of bowing to pressure from far-right security cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. As a reminder, the Israeli prime minister's coalition relies on the support of ultranationalist ministers who have threatened to quit the government if there is any deal with Hamas.

 

Which parts of Gaza are already under Israeli military control?published at 13:06

Israeli PM Netanyahu's newly-approved plan aims to see Israeli forces move to take control of Gaza City, in the north of the enclave, for the first time during this conflict.

The city is home to one million residents and is surrounded by land that has already been under Israel Defense Forces (IDF) control or subject to an evacuation order.

Israel says it controls 75% of Gaza, while the UN estimates some 87% of the territory is either in militarised zones or under evacuation orders.

 

Netanyahu's plans to take over Gaza City and 'five principles for ending the war'

Early on Friday morning, after a meeting of Israel's security cabinet that lasted several hours in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a statement approving a plan to take control of Gaza City.

The security cabinet adopted the plans by majority vote and included "five principles for ending the war", the statement says.

"The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones," it says, detailing the following "principles for ending the war":

• Disarmament of Hamas
• Return of all hostages - both living and dead
• Demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip
• Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip

The existence of an alternative civilian government that is not Hamas or the Palestinian Authority

"An absolute majority of cabinet ministers believed that the alternative plan presented to the cabinet would not achieve the defeat of Hamas or the return of the abductees," the statement concludes.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-08-08

 

 

[Maypole31]

No <deleted>! Who would had thought it? From the most moral army in the world, and the only democracy in the Middle East?

[bannork]

BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday in response to Israel's plan to expand its military operations there.

 

"The German government believes that the even tougher military action in the Gaza Strip decided upon by the Israeli cabinet last night makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved," said Merz in a statement.

 

"Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice."

 

Germany halts military exports that could be used in Gaza, Merz says

[bannork]

 

Widespread calls for takeover plan to be stopped with UK’s Starmer saying escalation will ‘only bring more bloodshed’ and Germany halting arms exports.

 

Israel’s plan to intensify operations in Gaza is “a wrong move”, Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said on Friday.

Veldkamp said in a statement on X:

The plan of the Netanyahu government to intensify Israeli operations in Gaza is a wrong move.

The [Gaza] humanitarian situation is catastrophic and demands immediate improvement. This decision in no way contributes to this and will also not help to get the hostages home.

 

Israel’s Gaza City plan sparks global condemnation with warnings of more destruction and suffering – latest updates

[Yagoda]

Fabulous. Just a week or two left. 

 

I would bet that as the IDF assaults, the brave Hamas fighters will shoot the hostages in the back and surrender, secure in the hope that their allies in jew-hate world will stand up for them, as they do here.

 

Perhaps deport Hamas fighters to Germany?

[WDSmart]

Of course! This was the plan of the right-wing faction in Israel all along. They don't care anything about the hostages. 

[Thingamabob]

Excellent. Proeed without delay. Israel will have the covert support of the Arab world.  Palestinians are neither liked nor trusted throughout the Middle East.

[Chomper Higgot]

53 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Excellent. Proeed without delay. Israel will have the covert support of the Arab world.  Palestinians are neither liked nor trusted throughout the Middle East.

Even if that were true, why do they need to be liked or trusted anywhere, they have a home, it’s called Palestine?!

 

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Even if that were true, why do they need to be liked or trusted anywhere, they have a home, it’s called Palestine?!

 

Non-extant, but I agree, keeping them encircled there makes some sense.

[placnx]

On 8/8/2025 at 1:37 PM, CharlieH said:

The existence of an alternative civilian government that is not Hamas or the Palestinian Authority

 

Previously Netanyahu has talked of local leaders taking over the administration of not only Gaza, but also urban Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank. The Wall Street Journal commentary pages (third page of the opinion section in the print edition) have had three pieces on this subject. The first concerns the West Bank in the H2 area of Hebron, and the second is an objection to this proposal.

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/new-palestinian-offer-peace-israel-hebron-sheikh-emirate-36dd39c3

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/a-hebron-emirate-or-a-colonial-deception-israel-west-bank-palestinians-44e40266

 

In Gaza Israel has armed militias a/k/a gangs based on clans. The third commentary, by Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of the "Popular Forces", advocates an enclave for Gazans not affiliated with Hamas on land of the Gaza Tarabin Bedouin in eastern Rafah. This person has a smuggling and criminal history, and is believed to be behind most of the violent looting of aid trucks with the connivance of IDF forces around the Kerem Shalom aid entry point.

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/gazans-are-finished-with-hamas-commander-popular-forces-5d9a6345

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/05/israel-accused-of-arming-palestinian-gang-who-allegedly-looted-aid-in-gaza 

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, placnx said:

Previously Netanyahu has talked of local leaders taking over the administration of not only Gaza, but also urban Palestinian enclaves in the West Bank.

 

   The land is called Judea .

The British renamed it as the West bank just recently 

Buy Judea is its correct and original name 

[Negita43]

While the war continues he keeps  in power.

When the war finishes I suspect he's toast.

Such a cynical man with no morals.

Reminds me of what I hear about the 1930's 

 

[Jeff the Chef]

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   The land is called Judea .

The British renamed it as the West bank just recently 

Buy Judea is its correct and original name 

 

Rubbish.

 

The name "West Bank" was not coined by the British. 
The territory known as the West Bank, located west of the Jordan River and part of the former British Mandate of Palestine, was occupied and subsequently annexed by Jordan in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli War. Jordan, which lies on the east bank of the Jordan River (historically known as Transjordan), then coined the term "West Bank" (a translation of the Arabic term "aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah") to distinguish the territory on the western side of the river from its own eastern side. 
While the British played a significant role in the history of the region through the Mandate for Palestine, according to the CIA World Factbook and Britannica, it was Jordan that introduced the name "West Bank" after the 1948 war. 

[Nick Carter icp]

20 minutes ago, Jeff the Chef said:

 

Rubbish.

 

The name "West Bank" was not coined by the British. 
The territory known as the West Bank, located west of the Jordan River and part of the former British Mandate of Palestine, was occupied and subsequently annexed by Jordan in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli War. Jordan, which lies on the east bank of the Jordan River (historically known as Transjordan), then coined the term "West Bank" (a translation of the Arabic term "aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah") to distinguish the territory on the western side of the river from its own eastern side. 
While the British played a significant role in the history of the region through the Mandate for Palestine, according to the CIA World Factbook and Britannica, it was Jordan that introduced the name "West Bank" after the 1948 war. 

 

   Well, the point being that the West bank is a new term for the area.

Who actual decided to call it the West Bank is besides the point .

Up until very recently it was called Judea , was the point that I wanted to make 

[pacovl46]

On 8/8/2025 at 1:28 PM, bannork said:

BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday in response to Israel's plan to expand its military operations there.

 

"The German government believes that the even tougher military action in the Gaza Strip decided upon by the Israeli cabinet last night makes it increasingly difficult to see how these goals can be achieved," said Merz in a statement.

 

"Under these circumstances, the German government will not approve any exports of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice."

 

Germany halts military exports that could be used in Gaza, Merz says

About time! Next, expell all Israeli diplomats and consuls, stop trading with Israel completely AND impose sanctions! 

[Yagoda]

3 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

About time! Next, expell all Israeli diplomats and consuls, stop trading with Israel completely AND impose sanctions! 

Your country will do what we tell you. We tell Israel what to do. 

 

 

[JonnyF]

Great news.

 

Israel needs to finish the job this time. 

 

As for the German supoort of Palestine, their hatred of Jews is hardly a surprise. Old habits die hard.

[bannork]

Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Israeli government's plan to expand Gaza war

 

AFP journalists at the rally estimated the number of attendees to be in the tens of thousands, while a group representing the families of hostages said as many as 100,000 people participated. 

 

Authorities did not provide an official estimate for the size of the crowd, though it dwarfed the ones at other recent anti-war rallies. 

 

"We will end with a direct message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: if you invade parts of Gaza and the hostages are murdered, we will pursue you in the town squares, in election campaigns and at every time and place," Shahar Mor Zahiro, the relative of a slain hostage, told AFP.

 

Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Israeli government's plan to expand Gaza war

[Chomper Higgot]

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Great news.

 

Israel needs to finish the job this time. 

 

As for the German supoort of Palestine, their hatred of Jews is hardly a surprise. Old habits die hard.

The usual addled brain nonsense from the usual source.

 

Try to get your head around the idea that support for Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s planned concentration camp and land grab is not hatred of Jews.

[Jeff the Chef]

12 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   The land is called Judea .

The British renamed it as the West bank just recently 

Buy Judea is its correct and original name 

 

12 hours ago, Jeff the Chef said:

 

Rubbish.

 

The name "West Bank" was not coined by the British. 
The territory known as the West Bank, located west of the Jordan River and part of the former British Mandate of Palestine, was occupied and subsequently annexed by Jordan in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli War. Jordan, which lies on the east bank of the Jordan River (historically known as Transjordan), then coined the term "West Bank" (a translation of the Arabic term "aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah") to distinguish the territory on the western side of the river from its own eastern side. 
While the British played a significant role in the history of the region through the Mandate for Palestine, according to the CIA World Factbook and Britannica, it was Jordan that introduced the name "West Bank" after the 1948 war. 

 

11 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Well, the point being that the West bank is a new term for the area.

Who actual decided to call it the West Bank is besides the point .

Up until very recently it was called Judea , was the point that I wanted to make 

 

2 thousand years ago, maybe, not very good on the history front are you?

What could be said is "same <deleted> different day" after reading the following.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaea_(Roman_province)

 

In 66 CE, unrest in Caesarea, followed by clashes in Jerusalem, ignited the First Jewish–Roman War. The Romans, under Vespasian and later his son Titus, systematically crushed the rebellion, culminating in the razing of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The Jewish population recovered within a generation and, in 132 CE, launched the Bar Kokhba revolt in response to Hadrian's plans to construct Aelia Capitolina, a non-Jewish colony, on the ruins of Jerusalem. The rebels briefly established an independent Jewish state, but the Roman suppression of the revolt resulted in the widespread destruction and near-depopulation of the region of Judea. In that same year, Judea was officially merged with Galilee in an enlarged province named Syria Palaestina.

 

The fall of Betar and the death of Bar Kokhba in 135 marked the final collapse of the revolt.[80] Judea proper was heavily depopulated, with many Jews sold into slavery and transported to distant regions.[81]

While Hadrian's death in 137 eased some of the restrictions and persecution, the Jewish population in the region was severely reduced.[81] The remaining Jews were largely concentrated in the Galilee, the Golan, and coastal plain cities, with smaller communities along the fringes of Judea proper and a few other areas.[82]

Aftermath

After the revolt, Hadrian imposed laws targeting Jewish practices with the goal of dismantling Jewish nationalism.[71][83] The revolt also sealed the fate of the Jerusalem Temple, preventing its rebuilding for the foreseeable future.[84] Hadrian's punishment also included banning Jews from Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, and renaming the province from Judaea to Syria Palaestina.[71]

The creation of Syria Palaestina from the ruins of Judaea, whose name not officially used until then, did not prevent the Jewish people from referring to the land in their writings as either "Yehudah" (Hebrew: יהודה)[85][86] or "The Land of Israel" (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל).[87]

[unblocktheplanet]

Bibi is obviously not the only Nazi in the Israeli govt.

[Nick Carter icp]

On 8/10/2025 at 2:36 AM, Jeff the Chef said:

 

 

 

2 thousand years ago, maybe, not very good on the history front are you?

What could be said is "same <deleted> different day" after reading the following.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaea_(Roman_province)

 

In 66 CE, unrest in Caesarea, followed by clashes in Jerusalem, ignited the First Jewish–Roman War. The Romans, under Vespasian and later his son Titus, systematically crushed the rebellion, culminating in the razing of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. The Jewish population recovered within a generation and, in 132 CE, launched the Bar Kokhba revolt in response to Hadrian's plans to construct Aelia Capitolina, a non-Jewish colony, on the ruins of Jerusalem. The rebels briefly established an independent Jewish state, but the Roman suppression of the revolt resulted in the widespread destruction and near-depopulation of the region of Judea. In that same year, Judea was officially merged with Galilee in an enlarged province named Syria Palaestina.

 

The fall of Betar and the death of Bar Kokhba in 135 marked the final collapse of the revolt.[80] Judea proper was heavily depopulated, with many Jews sold into slavery and transported to distant regions.[81]

While Hadrian's death in 137 eased some of the restrictions and persecution, the Jewish population in the region was severely reduced.[81] The remaining Jews were largely concentrated in the Galilee, the Golan, and coastal plain cities, with smaller communities along the fringes of Judea proper and a few other areas.[82]

Aftermath

After the revolt, Hadrian imposed laws targeting Jewish practices with the goal of dismantling Jewish nationalism.[71][83] The revolt also sealed the fate of the Jerusalem Temple, preventing its rebuilding for the foreseeable future.[84] Hadrian's punishment also included banning Jews from Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, and renaming the province from Judaea to Syria Palaestina.[71]

The creation of Syria Palaestina from the ruins of Judaea, whose name not officially used until then, did not prevent the Jewish people from referring to the land in their writings as either "Yehudah" (Hebrew: יהודה)[85][86] or "The Land of Israel" (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל).[87]

 

   What point was you trying to make ?

[Jeff the Chef]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   What point was you trying to make ?

 

Try reading, always works for me.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, Jeff the Chef said:

 

Try reading, always works for me.

 

   I did read it, but I don't know what point you were making . 

[Jeff the Chef]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I did read it, but I don't know what point you were making . 

 

Nick, you make laugh.

[Nick Carter icp]

5 minutes ago, Jeff the Chef said:

 

Nick, you make laugh.

 

   So, what point where you trying to make ?

[Jeff the Chef]

23 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   So, what point where you trying to make ?

 

Up until very recently it was called Judea 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, Jeff the Chef said:

 

Up until very recently it was called Judea 

 

  That was the exact point that I was making .

That's why I got confused, because you made the same point back to me 

So, you were agreeing with me .

[pacovl46]

On 8/9/2025 at 7:21 PM, Yagoda said:

Your country will do what we tell you. We tell Israel what to do. 

 

 

Yeah? So what’s your country then?!