Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel defended his government's intention to initiate a renewed offensive against Hamas in select areas of Gaza on Sunday, despite facing a wave of international outcry from both traditional allies and domestic critics.
The Israeli military was gearing up to broaden its operations to include central Gaza and Gaza City, Mr. Netanyahu stated during a press conference in Jerusalem. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge in these areas, hoping for greater safety.
The proposal put forth by Mr. Netanyahu has faced strong backlash from the families of Israeli hostages, who are concerned that their loved ones may be killed in the Israeli military action. Additionally, the country's leaders disregarded warnings from Israeli army officials, who had expressed concerns about the fatigue among their troops.
“With Hamas’s unwillingness to disarm, Israel has no alternative but to complete its mission and ensure Hamas's defeat,” declared Mr. Netanyahu. “Eliminating the last two Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and the central camps is the most effective way to conclude the war."
On Friday, the Israeli government revealed that the security cabinet—a senior ministerial group headed by Mr. Netanyahu—had sanctioned a plan for the military to prepare to seize control of Gaza City. These preparations could take several weeks or even months, potentially allowing room for a diplomatic solution that might stop or reverse the military campaign.
However, the decision quickly incited outrage internationally, with increasing blame directed at Israel for the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Aid organizations and European nations have attributed the ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza to Israeli restrictions on aid and a controversial new Israeli-supported relief distribution framework.
The U.N. Security Council convened on Sunday in New York for an unusual weekend meeting prompted by Britain, Denmark, Greece, France, and Slovenia in light of Israel’s announcement.
“Escalating military actions will not lead to a resolution of this conflict,” remarked James Kariuki, a British representative to the United Nations, asserting, “This approach will only result in further bloodshed.”
He urged Hamas to disarm, for increased aid to flow into Gaza, and for the Palestinian Authority, which oversees parts of the West Bank, to play a role in governing the territory—a stance that Israel’s security cabinet dismissed on Friday when it outlined five principles aimed at ending the conflict.
Britain's stance was reiterated by delegates from multiple member countries. France likewise requested a “temporary international stabilizing force” to guarantee safety in Gaza. The Russian envoy charged that the United States is granting Israel "carte blanche" to violate international law.
In their speeches, officials from the United States and Israel alone dismissed the criticism of the Netanyahu administration's strategy, attributing civilian distress to Hamas and alleging that countries which recently committed to acknowledging a Palestinian state were sabotaging ongoing cease-fire discussions and incentivizing the militant group's behavior.
Riyad Mansour, the representative of the State of Palestine with observer status at the U.N., expressed gratitude for the international community’s “massive reaction” to Israel’s proposal but urged for concrete actions. “Deploy a prompt international protective force to rescue the Palestinian population from imminent death,” he stated.
Late on Sunday, a brief statement from Mr. Netanyahu’s office indicated that the prime minister had discussed with President Trump the strategy “for seizing control of the remaining Hamas positions in Gaza” to conclude the conflict. The statement lacked specifics about the conversation but expressed gratitude to the American leader for "his unwavering support."
For both Israelis and Palestinians, Mr. Netanyahu’s claim that Israeli troops must invade Hamas’s last strongholds felt almost excruciatingly familiar. In February 2024, Mr. Netanyahu labeled another Gazan city — Rafah — as “Hamas’s final stronghold.” He claimed that victory was "within reach" at that moment.
The conflict has persisted almost without pause since that time, resulting in over 60,000 fatalities in Gaza overall, as per local health authorities, who do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas initiated the conflict with a large-scale assault that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and involved 250 individuals being taken hostage to Gaza.
When questioned about who could govern Gaza following Hamas's defeat, Mr. Netanyahu stated it would not be Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. However, he refused to indicate who could fill the void, noting that it was premature to determine.
“No one will enter there until we deal with Hamas,” he stated.
Hamas, in a statement on Sunday addressing Mr. Netanyahu’s briefing, dismissed his claim that Israel has no intention of occupying Gaza, labelling it “simply an illusion to mask his intentions for forced displacement.”
Families of the hostages and victims from the Hamas-led attack in October 2023 have urged Israeli companies and employees to strike next Sunday, intending to halt the economy in response to the cabinet decision.
However, certain hard-line members of Mr. Netanyahu’s ruling coalition criticized the proposed military campaign, arguing that it was too cautious to effectively defeat Hamas.
Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister of Israel known for his hardline views, stated in a video message on Saturday night that he opposed the decision. He urged Mr. Netanyahu to reconvene the security cabinet and commit to a “sharp, clear path” towards a decisive triumph over Hamas with “no more interruptions along the way.”
Mr. Smotrich's remarks could once more jeopardize the stability of Mr. Netanyahu's precarious coalition government. Mr. Smotrich and fellow right-wing minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have promised to resign if Mr. Netanyahu softens his hard stance on Gaza and Hamas.
Mr. Smotrich stated that Mr. Netanyahu had promised him a "dramatic strategy" to conquer Hamas through a "swift military triumph."
However, Mr. Netanyahu had performed a “turnaround,” he stated, and together with the cabinet had “chosen once again to repeat the same actions: initiating a military operation that does not intend to solve the problem.” Mr. Smotrich stated that the new plan aimed to apply pressure on Hamas to accept a partial agreement, which would lead to a temporary cease-fire and facilitate the exchange of hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
An Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity regarding the confidential discussion, indicated that the cabinet established an Oct. 7 deadline for the military to finish the evacuation southward of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinian residents from Gaza City before any military operations proceed in the city.
Additionally, it will require time for the military to summon sufficient reserve troops to execute the mission, and the specifics of the plan might still alter.
Mr. Smotrich has been advocating for Israel to assert sovereignty in Gaza and facilitate the return of Jewish settlements there, two decades after Israel removed its troops and evacuated all settlers from the area
Mr. Netanyahu faces the risk that his new plan might lead to the deaths of many more Palestinians and Israeli soldiers, while also putting the 20 hostages thought to still be alive in danger.
Mr. Smotrich stated that should Hamas accept an agreement, Israel would "withdraw once again" and permit the militant organization to recuperate and rearm. He did not explicitly state he would resign but mentioned he had “lost faith” in Mr. Netanyahu.
However, while Mr. Ben-Gvir, the head of another far-right party that Mr. Netanyahu depends on for backing, is just as far right as Mr. Smotrich, he commended Mr. Netanyahu’s strategy to take over all of Gaza City, claiming it would displace one million Palestinians.
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