DUBLIN,Ireland May 5-Israel’s security cabinet has approved an expanded military campaign aimed at defeating Hamas and taking full control of the Gaza Strip, according to senior Israeli officials.
The plan, proposed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, includes the occupation of Gaza, the prolonged deployment of Israeli forces, and the further displacement of Palestinians toward the southern region of the territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the plan as “a good one,” claiming it would achieve Israel’s dual objectives: dismantling Hamas and securing the return of hostages still held in Gaza.
The offensive resumed on March 18, following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire. Since then, none of the remaining 59 hostages has been freed, leading to mounting public frustration. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing relatives of the captives, condemned the government’s decision, accusing it of prioritizing territorial control over the safe return of loved ones.
“This plan amounts to choosing land over lives,” the group said in a statement, citing polls that suggest over 70% of Israelis disagree with the government’s approach.
The first phase of the new strategy includes seizing additional areas of Gaza and expanding the Israeli-designated buffer zone along the territory’s borders. According to Israeli media, the long-term goal is to exert pressure on Hamas in hopes of forcing a new ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Lt. Gen. Zamir, during a visit to a naval base on Sunday, told troops that tens of thousands of reservists would be called up to “expand operations in Gaza,” vowing to destroy Hamas infrastructure “above and below ground.”
However, humanitarian groups warn the campaign risks triggering an even greater humanitarian catastrophe.
The United Nations says nearly all of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents have already been displaced, and further movement southward would overwhelm the remaining shelters and facilities.
In parallel, the cabinet also approved a controversial plan to distribute humanitarian aid through private security companies, bypassing the existing UN-coordinated aid system. Under this plan, aid would be delivered from Israeli logistical hubs, with access controlled by facial recognition and alerts sent to civilians via SMS.
The UN and the broader Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) have refused to cooperate, calling the arrangement a violation of international humanitarian law.
“This proposal undermines fundamental humanitarian principles,” the HCT said in a statement. “It risks forcing civilians into militarized zones to receive essential supplies, further endangering their lives and those of aid workers.”
Since March 2, Israel has blocked all aid deliveries into Gaza. UN agencies report that food stocks have run dry, bakeries have shuttered, and community kitchens are on the brink of collapse. Medical supplies, vaccines, and equipment are also unavailable, severely straining Gaza’s health system.
Despite Israel’s claim that it complies with international law and that there is “no shortage of aid,” the UN maintains that Israel has a legal obligation to ensure humanitarian access for Gaza’s civilian population.
The military operation was launched in response to the Hamas-led cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 kidnapped.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 52,500 people have been killed in Gaza since the conflict began—including more than 2,400 since the latest offensive resumed.
