Israeli cabinet approves plan to seize all of Gaza Strip, reports claim

Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, Israel has taken control of further territory in the Strip, which now amounts to roughly 50% of Gaza.

Israel has approved plans on Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, in a move that, if implemented, would vastly expand Israel's operations in the Palestinian territory and likely face fierce international opposition.Israeli cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote, according to AP, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.  The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, would also push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, which would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.  The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were discussing military plans.Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, Israel has taken control of further territory in the Strip, which now amounts to roughly 50% of Gaza.Before the truce ended, Israel halted all humanitarian aid into the Strip, including food, fuel and water, setting off what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of the Israel-Hamas war.  The ban on aid has prompted widespread hunger, and shortages have set off looting. The Israeli officials said the plan included the “capturing of the Strip and the holding of territories.” The plan would also seek to prevent the militant Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group's rule in Gaza. It also accuses Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolster its capabilities. The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets, the officials said. The officials said Israel was in touch with several countries about US President Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza and relocate its population, under what Israel has termed “voluntary emigration," yet which has sparked condemnations from Israel's allies in Europe and the Arab world.  One of the officials said the plan would be implemented gradually. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing military plans.For weeks, Israel has been trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas and prompt it to show more flexibility in ceasefire negotiations. However, international mediators trying to bring the sides toward a new deal have struggled. Israel's measures do not appear to have moved Hamas away from its negotiating positions. This is a developing story and our journalists are working on further updates.