Israel PM unveils bold Gaza plan, calls it war‑ending strategy.

Netanyahu Declares Gaza City Operation the “Fastest Way to End the War”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday that a new plan to seize Gaza City would bring the conflict to a swift conclusion, defying mounting pressure to halt the fighting.

Key Points from the Press Conference

• Netanyahu said the operation would be carried out on a short timetable to end the war quickly.
• The plan aims to dismantle the two remaining Hamas strongholds – Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi.
• Netanyahu claimed that Israel already controls 70–75 percent of Gaza, but the two strongholds remain a challenge.
• He emphasised that the goal is not to occupy Gaza permanently, but to establish a civilian administration that is independent of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Domestic Reactions

Thousands protested in Tel Aviv after the security cabinet announced plans to expand the conflict, with demonstrators calling the new strategy a “failed plan that could end our hostages and cost soldiers’ lives”.

Netanyahu faces strong criticism from far‑right cabinet members. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slammed the plan as half‑hearted, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir insisted that the plan will not endanger the troops and aims for “victory” in Gaza.

International Response

The United Nations Security Council met to discuss the proposed expansion, with UN Assistant Secretary‑General Miroslav Jenca warning that the plan could trigger another calamity, increasing forced displacement, killings and destruction across the region.

Foreign powers, even some Israeli allies, pushed for a negotiated truce to secure the return of hostages and alleviate the humanitarian crisis, citing repeated warnings of famine in the territory.

Conflict Context

• Israel’s offensive has resulted in at least 61,430 Palestinian deaths, per Gaza’s health ministry, a figure the UN regards as reliable.
• There are 49 hostages still held in Gaza, with 27 believed dead.
• Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the war, caused 1,219 deaths in Israel.

Despite criticism and rumours of dissent from Israeli military leaders, Netanyahu remains steadfast, declaring, “We will win the war, with or without external support.”