Summary of the day so far
It’s just past 10pm in Gaza and Tel Aviv. Here’s a recap of the latest developments:
Benjamin Netanyahu announced a new “intensified” offensive in Gaza that will involve Israeli troops holding on to seized territory and significant displacement of the population. Israeli soldiers would not go into Gaza, launch raids and then retreat, Netanyahu said. “The intention is the opposite of that … Population will be moved, for its own protection.”
Israel’s security cabinet approved the plan on Sunday night for “conquering” the Gaza Strip and establishing a “sustained presence” there. The plan, which was unanimously approved, goes beyond any aims so far outlined by Israel for its offensive in the devastated Palestinian territory.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the new offensive, named Operation Gideon’s Chariots, would “include a wide-scale attack and the movement of the majority of the strip’s population. The announcement is a significant moment, at least in terms of public rhetoric, and will confirm many people’s long-held fears of Israel’s intentions in Gaza and prompt international outrage.
The Israeli announcement prompted deep international concern and fierce opposition. A spokesperson for the UN secretary general, António Guterres, said the Israeli plan will “inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza.” A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office said: “The UK does not support an expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Continued fighting is in nobody’s interests.”
Donald Trump did not offer his views on Israel’s plan but blamed Hamas for having treated the people of Gaza “very badly”. The US will “help the people of Gaza get some food,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “Hamas is making it impossible, because they’re taking everything that’s brought in.”
Israel sees Trump’s visit to the Middle East next week as a “window of opportunity” for a hostage deal in Gaza. Israel is reportedly trying to “leverage” the US president’s trip to push Hamas to accept a deal, with a report claiming that Israel will launch a massive ground operation if no deal is reached.
Israel’s military said it carried out airstrikes against Yemen’s Hodeidah port, a day after the Houthi group fired a missile that struck near Israel’s main airport. More than 10 strikes targeted Hodeidah Port and the Al Salakhanah and Al Hawak neighbourhoods in Hodeidah City, Reuters reported. Four strikes also targeted a cement factory east of Hodeidah.
The announcement of Israel’s plan to launch imminently a new, expanded offensive in Gaza and to retain the territory it seized is a significant moment, at least in terms of public rhetoric.
Throughout the nearly 19-month war, Israeli troops have carried out large and frequently bloody operations that have covered all except central parts of Gaza, but they have largely restricted their permanent presence to a buffer zone about 1km deep along the devastated territory’s perimeter and two relatively narrow east-west corridors.
This now seems to have changed. Once “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” is under way, Israel will send its troops across much – if not all – of Gaza, and will seek to establish a “sustained presence” there, Israel officials said.
Israeli officials are also talking openly about the displacement of Palestinians to southern Gaza, and their potential “voluntary” displacement from the territory altogether to allow the implementation of the reconstruction plan announced by the US president, Donald Trump, in January. The far-right Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, told Israelis on Monday to embrace the word “occupation”.
All this will confirm many people’s long-held fears of Israel’s intentions in Gaza and prompt international outrage.
Read the full analysis here: Announcement of Israel’s Gaza occupation plan is carefully timed
