MWE Correspondent
Tensions in the Middle East have reached a critical point as Israel’s security cabinet has approved a new military operation aimed at taking control of Gaza City, a densely populated urban area considered the heart of the Palestinian resistance movement.
The announcement, made through Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, signals a strategic shift and intensifies the ongoing war against Hamas.
According to The Guardian, the Israeli government plans to carry out the offensive in phases, beginning with civilian evacuations ahead of a full-scale assault. Over a million Palestinians could be forced to leave their homes in what some observers warn could become the largest displacement in the region in recent history.
Netanyahu’s administration argues that full control over Gaza is essential to dismantle Hamas’s infrastructure and secure the return of Israeli hostages still held captive. However, Israel’s top military leadership, including IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has publicly warned that this approach could backfire. He fears it may endanger the hostages, deepen humanitarian suffering, and entangle Israel in a long-term urban insurgency.
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The newly approved plan is built around five core objectives: dismantling Hamas, recovering hostages, maintaining Israeli security dominance, preventing future militant buildup, and eventually installing a civilian administration independent of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The international community, including the United Nations, has responded with concern. Humanitarian organizations warn the operation could dramatically worsen the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where food, water, and medical supplies are already running critically low. Protests have erupted in Jerusalem, where families of hostages and peace activists are demanding an end to the war through diplomatic means rather than deeper military engagement.
While Netanyahu has insisted that Israel does not intend to rule Gaza permanently, critics say no clear plan has been outlined for what comes next. Speculation about potential involvement by moderate Arab nations remains unconfirmed, adding to uncertainty about how post-war governance would work in practice.
