Israel’s military will “take control” of Gaza City under a new plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, drawing swift criticism from inside the country and abroad.
Nearly two years into the Gaza war, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure a truce that would ease famine conditions for the territory’s more than two million people and free hostages held by Palestinian militants.
Hamas condemned the plan to expand fighting as a “new war crime,” while close ally Germany took the unprecedented step of halting certain military exports to Israel over concerns they could be used in Gaza.
Read More: Netanyahu eyes Gaza takeover
Under the approved strategy to “defeat” Hamas, the Israeli army “will prepare to take control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside combat zones,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Before the decision, Netanyahu told US network Fox News that Israel wanted a “security perimeter” in Gaza but did not intend to govern it, preferring to hand control to “Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us.”
Netanyahu’s office said the cabinet adopted “five principles,” including the territory’s demilitarisation and creation of an alternative civil administration “neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.”
Domestic reactions
Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the plan as “a disaster that will lead to many other disasters,” warning it could endanger hostages and cost Israel diplomatically and financially.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum accused the government of “abandoning” captives.
Some Israelis backed the move. “As they take control of Gaza, they will eliminate Hamas completely — maybe not completely, but at least a good percentage,” said Chaim Klein, a 26-year-old yeshiva student.
On the ground
The Israeli army says it controls 75% of the Gaza Strip, mostly along the border. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza — including 27 confirmed dead.
Gaza residents fear renewed fighting. “They tell us to go south, then back north, and now south again. We are human beings, but no one hears us,” said Maysa al-Shanti, a 52-year-old mother of six.
International agencies warn of worsening famine. The UN says Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid daily; current deliveries average 70–80. The WHO reports at least 99 deaths from malnutrition this year, likely an undercount.
Also Read: Rifts in Israel over full Gaza occupation
The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel’s offensive has killed at least 61,258 Palestinians since 2023. The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel killed 1,219 people, according to official figures.
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli plan
Saudi Arabia rejected Israel’s Gaza City takeover plan, calling it “starvation” and “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians.
The foreign ministry “categorically” condemned Israel’s “brutal practices” in Gaza.
Germany halts arms exports
Germany will suspend military exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced.
The move marks a major policy shift for one of Israel’s strongest allies. Merz said it was “increasingly difficult to understand” how Israel’s new plan would help disarm Hamas or free hostages.
From October 2023 to May 2025, Germany approved at least €485 million in defence exports to Israel, including firearms, ammunition, and special vehicles.
Merz reiterated Israel’s right to self-defence but urged a ceasefire and warned against annexing the West Bank.
EU urges reversal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Israel “must reconsider” its Gaza plan.
Belgium summoned Israel’s ambassador to protest both the Gaza City plan and West Bank annexation ambitions.
Other reactions
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen urged Israel to reverse the decision, calling it “wrong.”
Hamas labelled the plan a “war crime” and said Israel “does not care” about the fate of hostages.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk warned the takeover would “cause more deaths and suffering” and violated an International Court of Justice ruling to end the occupation.
