Security Cabinet Approves Gaza Occupation Plan After Lengthy Debate

After more than 10 hours of deliberations, the Security Cabinet approved early Friday Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s plan to occupy the Gaza Strip. The decision paves the way for the IDF to seize control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones. The operation is intended to dismantle the Hamas terror group, secure the release of hostages, and ensure long-term Israeli security in the area.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet adopted five guiding principles for concluding the war: disarming Hamas, securing the return of all hostages both alive and deceased, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control over the territory, and establishing an alternative civilian administration unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

The statement added that most ministers rejected an alternative proposal, arguing it would neither defeat Hamas nor bring the hostages home.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir voiced strong concerns, warning, “The lives of the hostages will be at risk if we proceed with the plan to take over Gaza; there is no way to guarantee they won’t be harmed.” He also pointed to risks for soldiers, depletion of military resources, and humanitarian complications.

Some ministers countered by noting that Operation Gideon’s Chariots had failed to achieve its objectives. Zamir responded, “We have created the conditions for the return of the hostages.”

Shas chairman Rabbi Aryeh Deri, though not a sitting minister, cautioned that the war was causing ongoing political harm and that the hostages’ lives remained in jeopardy. He urged the government to heed the military’s advice.

Netanyahu replied, “The operation is not irreversible. We are prepared to consider a pause if Hamas agrees to Israel’s conditions.” By contrast, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared, “We must go all the way.”

Hamas released a statement claiming recent negotiations had made significant progress toward a “final agreement,” but claimed Netanyahu withdrew from the talks, revealing “his true intentions.” The group accused the prime minister of expanding the war to “sacrifice the hostages for personal reasons and due to his extremist ideological agenda,” and vowed that “the Gaza Strip will not surrender, and the campaign will be tough and exact a heavy price from Israel and the IDF.”

The Security Cabinet has approved the Prime Minister's proposal for defeating Hamas.

The IDF will prepare for taking control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 8, 2025