The decision marks a dramatic shift in Israel’s strategy after almost 2 years of war sparked by the Hamas-led October 7 massacre, which killed over 1,200 people and saw hundreds more kidnapped. Efforts to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal, most recently through Qatari-mediated talks in Doha, have stalled once again after the Palestinian terrorists rejected yet another ceasefire agreement.
Hamas responded to news of the Israeli military's plans with defiance, calling the threats “repetitive, worthless, and without influence on our decisions.”
Meanwhile, Hamas has demanded that hundreds of aid trucks be allowed to enter Gaza before it resumes any negotiations, despite international efforts to bypass the terror group and deliver humanitarian relief directly to Palestinian civilians. Over the weekend, Hamas released disturbing videos showing emaciated hostages and accused Israel of creating famine conditions in the enclave, despite the captors looking well fed and boasting about food in the tunnels. One video shows an Israeli hostage forced to dig his own grave.
While aid groups have pledged to increase aid deliveries, Hamas has insisted that supplies will only be passed to the hostages if Israel agrees to open humanitarian corridors permanently and suspend all aerial activity during deliveries. According to the UN, Hamas has looted almost 90 percent of the aid sent into the strip.
Israeli political commentator Amit Segal, speaking on Channel 12, quoted a senior Netanyahu adviser as saying: “The decision has been made… we are going to occupy the Gaza Strip.” The unnamed official added, “Hamas will not release hostages without total surrender. If we do not operate now, the hostages will die of starvation and Gaza will stay under Hamas’ control.”
The adviser acknowledged Israel has reached a strategic crossroads: “Let’s be honest, we were not achieving victory or the hostages. The mandate for a deal was broad, but we did not get agreement, so we will go for occupation.”
The escalation comes despite renewed US diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Israel over the weekend and assured officials he was working on a new plan to bring the war to a close.
Domestically, Netanyahu faces increasing pressure from both sides. Some families of the remaining 50 hostages, believed to be either dead or alive, have demanded that the government prioritize a deal. Others support more aggressive military action to dismantle Hamas’s control entirely.
International pressure on Israel has also intensified in recent weeks. Critics have accused the Israeli government of contributing to famine conditions in Gaza. Viral images of malnourished children have further fueled global condemnation, though many of the most widely circulated photos were later shown to depict children with pre-existing medical conditions.
Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005, when the government dismantled all 21 Israeli settlements in Gaza in a failed land for peace agreement. Four settlements in the West Bank were also removed during that process.
