The Israeli Security Cabinet has endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to take military control of Gaza City, the largest urban center in the Gaza Strip. The decision came after a marathon meeting that stretched into the early hours of Friday.
Netanyahu’s office said the move signals a new stage in Israel’s war strategy and represents the first phase of a broader operation in Gaza, where Israeli forces are already in control of about 75% of the territory.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Netanyahu said the objective was to ensure security, dismantle Hamas, and free the population from its control. He stressed that Israel does not intend to govern Gaza permanently, suggesting that civilian administration could be handed over to unspecified Arab forces opposed to Hamas.
