Israel’s security cabinet recently approved a controversial blueprint. The plan would increase the military offensive against Hamas, the political leadership of Gaza. This decision comes on the heels of a terrible increase in violence due to a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. The offensive resulted in nearly 1,200 Israeli fatalities and the capture of 251 people. The newly approved plan sets out to “capture” Gaza — or at least expand Israeli ownership of its territory by other means. This escalation adds salt to the wound that has already gone unattended for the region’s 2.1 million residents.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the cabinet’s decision, emphasizing the need for a “forceful operation” to dismantle Hamas and rescue remaining hostages. They will not go in and out,” an Israeli official stated, suggesting the permanence of this military offensive. In a controversial move, Netanyahu stated that Gaza’s civilian population would be “moved, to protect it,” raising concerns about large-scale displacement and humanitarian implications.
The plan’s implementation will continue to uproot millions of Gazan Palestinians as airstrikes and ground troop invasions go forward without ceasing. A few days before, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich gave away the game with a remarkable statement, declaring that Israel is “finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip.” This claim raised a lot of eyebrows, considering the history and high human cost of this type of military action.
Since the offensive recommenced, more than 52,567 men, women, and children have allegedly died in Gaza. Of these, 2,459 of those casualties have taken place since the escalation in hostilities resumed. The years of violence has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian disaster Over the morning of March 2, Israel stopped all humanitarian aid and supplies from entering Gaza. This decision led to devastating food scarcity and deprived an already stretched-thin healthcare system of crucial medical resources.
The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), including the UN, ICRC and NGO partners, have previously expressed their serious concerns over the humanitarian consequences of this plan. They cautioned that through the ongoing lack of access to essential goods, especially for vulnerable groups, would affect a large part of Gaza’s population. HCT’s Laura Cattivo said the conditions were “clearly dangerous.” Faced with extreme violence, civilians are forced to enter militarized zones to obtain food rations, risking their lives and those of humanitarian workers while exacerbating the situation of forced displacement.
In parallel to military actions, Israel’s military has called up tens of thousands of reservists to increase pressure on Hamas. The first phase of the approved plan will be aimed at capturing additional territory in Gaza. Beyond immediately harming Palestinian communities, it will widen an Israeli-designated “buffer zone” along the territory’s borders.
Israel’s military operations in Gaza have led to severe international reaction. The United Kingdom announced its lack of support for an escalation of operations, while the European Union cautioned that such actions would lead to “further casualties and suffering for the Palestinian population.” Meanwhile, the UN and various aid agencies have described the plan as “a breach of basic humanitarian principles.”
Critics from inside Gaza have expressed concern about what the plan would mean. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum condemned the strategy, arguing that it focuses more on territorial victories than negotiating for hostages’ freedom. They argued that this approach goes “against the will of over 70% of the people.”
On the ground, prominent voices within the Palestinian community have been calling for a ceasefire and a return to real peace based on justice. Mahmoud Mardawi suggested a more diplomatic route: “a complete ceasefire, full withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and the release of all prisoners from both sides.”
The ongoing conflict continues to draw attention globally as nations grapple with the complexities of military intervention and humanitarian needs. As Israel implements its new military strategy for targeting Hamas, the inevitable human cost to Gazan civilians raises questions about accountability and long-term resolution of the ongoing conflict.
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