Netanyahu Says Israel Will Control All of Gaza as Hunger Worsens/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli PM Netanyahu insists on full control of Gaza as humanitarian concerns grow. Aid trucks reenter Gaza amid famine fears. Military escalates strikes, killing dozens and targeting Hamas strongholds.
Gaza Control Plans Quick Looks
- Prime Minister Netanyahu pledges complete Israeli control over Gaza.
- Aid permitted into Gaza after global pressure and famine warnings.
- Over 40 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Monday.
- Operation “Gideon’s Chariots” intensifies ground and aerial attacks.
- Ceasefire talks stall; over 500 deaths in past 8 days.
- Covert Israeli raid kills militant leader in Khan Younis.
- Aid looting concerns rise; Gazans urged not to intercept.
- U.S. allies warn of humanitarian optics impacting Israeli support.
- More than 53,000 reported dead in Gaza since October 2023.
Deep Look: Netanyahu’s Gaza Control Plan Amid Aid, War, and Global Pressure
JERUSALEM/CAIRO, May 19 — Amid growing international scrutiny, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel would assert total control over the Gaza Strip, even as his administration authorized limited humanitarian aid entry to the blockaded region, which aid groups say is teetering on the brink of famine.
Speaking through a video message on Monday, Netanyahu stated, “There is huge fighting going on, intense and huge. We are going to control all parts of Gaza… but we have to do it in a way that we won’t be stopped.” His remarks emphasized Israel’s dual objectives: retrieving the 58 hostages held by Hamas and dismantling the militant group’s governance and military capabilities.
Evacuation Orders and Renewed Offensives
As Netanyahu made his case, the Israeli military ramped up its campaign in the south, particularly targeting Khan Younis. Residents were told to flee to coastal zones as the army prepared what it termed an “unprecedented attack.” This is part of the broader military initiative labeled Operation Gideon’s Chariots, which saw Israeli forces hit 160 targets across Gaza, including underground infrastructure, anti-tank sites, and weapons depots.
Monday’s airstrikes killed at least 40 people, according to local health officials, including seven individuals sheltering in a school and three in a residential home in Deir Al-Balah.
Aid Arrives Amid Famine Threats
Netanyahu’s concession to allow limited aid followed sharp criticism from longtime U.S. allies. He admitted that even pro-Israel senators were growing wary of the public perception created by widespread hunger in Gaza.
“Our best friends in the world,” he said, were warning that images of starving Palestinians were “bringing Israel close to a red line.”
In response, Israel permitted several aid convoys to proceed into the territory. Palestinian media reported 50 trucks loaded with flour, legumes, and cooking oil would enter on Monday, while Israeli outlets noted that nine trucks carrying baby formula were also expected. Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani acknowledged that increasing the volume of aid would be a gradual and politically sensitive process.
Despite the resumed aid flow, logistical and ethical concerns persist. Nahed Shheibar, a transport company owner involved in aid distribution, implored locals not to loot the incoming supplies, underlining the desperation facing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
Covert Operations and Militant Assassinations
In a dramatic escalation of ground operations, Israeli undercover units reportedly entered Khan Younis disguised as displaced civilians. Their target, Ahmed Sarhan—a senior commander in the Popular Resistance Committees, a group allied with Hamas—was killed in a shootout. Eyewitnesses claimed Israeli forces captured Sarhan’s wife and children before retreating toward Gaza’s eastern border under cover of aerial bombardment.
Ceasefire Talks Collapse Amid Rising Death Toll
Efforts to negotiate a new ceasefire in Qatar have stalled, with both sides trading blame. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the government’s strategic failures, stating that Hamas’s continued presence in Gaza represented a “resounding failure.”
Netanyahu revealed that proposals during the talks included a full truce in exchange for Hamas’s exile and Gaza’s demilitarization—terms that Hamas has previously rejected. Senior Hamas figure Sami Abu Zuhri warned that Israel’s intensified assault could lead to the deaths of remaining hostages.
The eight-day surge in attacks has resulted in over 500 deaths, adding to an already staggering toll. Since the war’s inception on October 7, 2023—when Hamas-led fighters killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251—Gaza’s death toll has surpassed 53,000, according to local health authorities.
The war’s human cost continues to mount as nearly all of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with aid agencies unable to meet the escalating humanitarian needs.
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