JERUSALEM – Israel has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City amid ongoing military operations in the region despite facing criticisms from across the world.
The approval was granted by the Israel’s political-security cabinet early on Friday, international media reported.
“The IDF will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Gaza City is the largest city located in north of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government has reported decided to evacuate Palestinian civilians from the city and conduct a ground offensive.
While talking to Fox news Channel a day earlier, Netanyahu said: “We intend to” take over the entire Gaza Strip.
However, he added that they wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces to govern it. He did not share details of the governance arrangements.
“We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body,” he said.
The Netanyahu’s office said that “the alternative plan presented in the cabinet would not achieve the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages.”
Hamas in a statement slammed Netanyahu’s comments “a blatant coup” against the negotiation process.
“Netanyahu’s plans to expand the aggression confirm beyond any doubt that he seeks to get rid of his captives and sacrifice them,” the statement said.
