The Israeli safety cupboard has permitted plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy Gaza Metropolis, in an enlargement of Israeli navy operations that comes amid worldwide condemnation of the deteriorating humanitarian state of affairs within the Gaza Strip.
The choice, introduced in a press release by the prime minister’s workplace, got here after a marathon assembly of the cupboard that lasted for a number of hours stretching into the early morning hours of Friday in Israel.
“The Safety Cupboard has permitted the Prime Minister’s proposal for the defeat of Hamas,” the Israeli prime minister’s workplace stated within the assertion. “The IDF will put together for the takeover of Gaza Metropolis whereas guaranteeing the supply of humanitarian support to the civilian inhabitants outdoors the fight zones.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks throughout an occasion on the Waldorf Astoria Lodge in Jerusalem on July 27, 2025.
Gil Cohen-magen/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Within the assertion, the prime minister’s workplace stated the safety cupboard by a majority vote adopted 5 ideas for ending the warfare, together with “Israel safety management within the Gaza Strip.”
The opposite ideas embrace:
Disarming HamasReturning all of the hostages, together with the our bodies of those that have died The demilitarization of the Gaza Strip; and Establishing another civil administration that’s neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority
The assertion from the prime minister’s workplace stated a “decisive majority” of the ministers within the safety cupboard believed that an unspecified different plan that was additionally thought-about “would obtain neither the defeat of Hamas nor the return of the hostages.”
Earlier than the assembly, Netanyahu stated in a Fox Information interview on Thursday that Israel “intends to” take management of all of Gaza, however “we do not wish to maintain it or govern it,” he stated.
He added, “We do not wish to be there as a governing physique. We wish to hand it over to Arab forces that may govern it correctly with out threatening us and giving Gazans an excellent life. That is not potential with Hamas.”
Netanyahu stated within the interview that he has not mentioned Israel occupying all of Gaza with President Donald Trump.
“He understands that it is Israel who’s going to do the combating. It is not American troopers,” Netanyahu instructed Fox when requested if Trump has given him the inexperienced mild to occupy all of Gaza.
“Nicely he simply says, ‘I do know Israel goes to do what it’ll do,’ and we’ve not gotten into that sort of dialogue,” Netanyahu stated.
An Israeli military infantry-fighting automobile leaves a cloud of mud because it strikes at a place alongside Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip on August 5, 2025.
AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Responding to Netanyahu’s feedback on Fox, Hamas stated the prime minister’s feedback revealed the actual motive Israel withdrew from the negotiations to achieve a ceasefire deal.
“Netanyahu’s statements symbolize a blatant reversal of the negotiation course of and clearly expose the actual motives behind his withdrawal from the newest spherical of talks, regardless of us nearing a ultimate settlement,” Hamas stated in a press release.
“Netanyahu’s plans to escalate the aggression verify, with none doubt, that he’s in search of to get rid of his captives and sacrifice them in service of his private pursuits and extremist ideological agenda,” Hamas continued.
Demonstrators maintain torches, throughout a protest outdoors Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace, to demand the speedy launch of the hostages kidnapped through the lethal October 7, 2023, assault on Israel by Hamas, and the top of the warfare, in Jerusalem, August 7, 2025.
Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
Earlier than the choice was introduced, the Hostage Households Discussion board referred to as for the Israeli cupboard to return to negotiations and attain a deal that may deliver the remaining hostages house.
“We’re interesting to the cupboard — the enlargement of the combating is a hazard of demise and speedy disappearance for our family members — look us within the eye once you select to sacrifice them,” the Hostage Households Discussion board stated in a press release.
Two sources acquainted with the matter instructed ABC Information earlier this week that Netanyahu had determined to suggest that the IDF transfer ahead with a plan to totally conquer and occupy the Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu held a three-hour restricted safety cupboard assembly on Tuesday the place the matter was mentioned, based on a readout from the prime minister’s workplace.
“The IDF is ready to implement any choice made by the Political-Safety Cupboard,” the readout stated.
On this image taken from a place on the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip leaves a path of smoke on Aug. 7, 2025.
Jack Guez/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
On Sunday, an Israeli official instructed ABC Information that Netanyahu was pushing to broaden the navy operation in Gaza on the grounds that he felt Hamas is just not fascinated by reaching a brand new deal underneath which surviving hostages may very well be launched.
When requested in regards to the potential enlargement of the marketing campaign in Gaza, U.S. State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated Tuesday, “Reporting is one factor. Actual plans is likely to be one other. We’re not within the enterprise of decoding statements from overseas governments when and in the event that they’re made.”
“We do stay targeted on liberating the hostages, together with the stays of two People, and guaranteeing that Hamas by no means guidelines Gaza once more,” Bruce stated.
ABC Information’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
