Israel Moves to Occupy Gaza City, Sparks Global Ceasefire Calls/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israel has announced plans to retake Gaza City, marking a potential escalation in its nearly two-year war with Hamas. The move has drawn international criticism, raised humanitarian concerns, and sparked renewed hostage fears. Arab mediators are pushing for a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage-release deal to avert further devastation.
Gaza City Offensive: Quick Looks
- Israel plans major operation to seize Gaza City from Hamas
- Netanyahu says goal is to “remove Hamas” but not keep Gaza
- Move could endanger about 20 living hostages still in Gaza
- Mediators from Egypt and Qatar working on new ceasefire framework
- Proposed deal would release all hostages in exchange for Israeli withdrawal
- Britain urges Israel to reconsider; Germany halts certain arms exports
- Arab plan calls for Gaza run by Palestinian-Arab committee pending elections
- Gaza death toll surpasses 61,000, per Gaza Health Ministry
- UN and experts say Gaza faces famine and mass displacement
- Heavy bombardments and raids continue ahead of possible ground push
Deep Look
Israel’s Gaza City Offensive Plan Risks Escalating War, Complicating Hostage Efforts
JERUSALEM — Israel confirmed Friday that it is preparing to retake Gaza City in what would be one of the largest ground offensives since the start of its 22-month war with Hamas. The announcement immediately drew condemnation from the militant group, warnings from allies, and renewed fears for the dozens of hostages still in Gaza.
The planned operation, approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet, is being described as both a military escalation and a pressure tactic aimed at forcing Hamas into a ceasefire deal on Israeli terms.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled even broader ambitions — telling Fox News that Israel intends to take control of all Gaza “to assure our security” and “remove Hamas,” though he stressed Israel does not plan to permanently hold the territory.
Humanitarian and Military Calculations
The offensive’s timing is uncertain, as it will require the mobilization of thousands of troops and the evacuation of remaining civilians from combat zones. Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has reportedly cautioned that such a move could endanger the roughly 20 living hostages believed to be in Gaza and further strain Israeli forces after nearly two years of sustained conflict across the region.
Netanyahu’s office said the military “will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones.”
Hamas, in a statement, dismissed the plan: “Expanding aggression against our Palestinian people will not be a walk in the park.”
Diplomatic Push for Ceasefire
Behind the scenes, mediators from Egypt and Qatar — with the backing of Gulf Arab monarchies — are advancing a new framework designed to end the war. According to two Arab officials familiar with the talks, the plan would secure the release of all hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
The proposal includes a temporary “freeze” on Hamas’ weapons rather than complete disarmament, a step Hamas has resisted. Governance of Gaza would transition to a Palestinian-Arab committee tasked with overseeing reconstruction, before shifting to a new Palestinian administration with a police force trained by U.S. allies. The role of the Palestinian Authority remains uncertain.
The U.S. has been briefed on the framework, though neither Washington nor the mediators have commented publicly on its details. American envoy Steve Witkoff recently told hostage families that Israel was considering an “all-or-nothing” deal to secure all captives and end the conflict.
International Reactions
The plan to retake Gaza City has further strained Israel’s relations with some of its allies. Britain urged Israel to reconsider, and Germany announced it would suspend approval for arms exports potentially usable in Gaza.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the decision, warning it would make it “increasingly difficult” for Germany to see how Israel’s military objectives align with humanitarian goals.
Conditions in Gaza
Gaza City, once home to hundreds of thousands, has been heavily bombarded and raided since the war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel and abducted 251. While many residents fled under evacuation orders early in the conflict, some have returned during temporary ceasefires, and tens of thousands remain.
Aid groups warn that a major ground push could displace even more civilians and further block food delivery to an area already on the brink of famine. On Thursday, at least 42 Palestinians were reported killed in Israeli strikes and shootings, according to Gaza hospitals. The dead included 13 people seeking aid in an Israeli-controlled zone in southern Gaza, where UN convoys have been overwhelmed by desperate crowds.
The Gaza Health Ministry — part of the Hamas-run administration but staffed by medical professionals — says more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The UN and independent experts treat these figures as the most reliable, though Israel disputes them and does not provide its own toll.
Strategic and Symbolic Stakes
Israel already controls about three-quarters of Gaza’s territory, much of which has been turned into buffer zones or cleared of residents. Gaza City remains one of the few urban areas not under full Israeli control.
Capturing it would be symbolically significant, but analysts note that Israel has repeatedly returned to the city after militants regrouped, raising questions about the sustainability of such gains without a long-term governance plan.
As one displaced resident, Maysaa al-Heila, put it: “There is nothing left to occupy. There is no Gaza left.”
With diplomacy and military planning unfolding in parallel, the coming weeks could prove decisive — either pushing the war into a new and more destructive phase or opening the door to a negotiated end.
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