Israel -security cabinet approves the plan to expand Gaza offensive

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to expand its military offensive against Hamas, which is said to include catching Gaza and holding the territory.

The Israeli army has called tens of thousands of reservists in preparation for the move and says that it “increases the pressure” with the aim of bringing home the remaining Israeli hostages and beating Hamas.

However, reports indicate that it will only be implemented after the visit of US President Donald Trump to the region next week.

In principle, the government also approved a plan to resume deliveries and distribution of humanitarian aid through private companies, which would put an end to a two -month blockade that the UN says he caused serious food shortages and other supplies.

The UN and other aid organizations have said that the proposal would be an infringement based on humanitarian principles and that they will not work together.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet met on Sunday evening to discuss the Gaza offensive, which was resumed when Israel ended a two-month ceasefires on March 18.

Ministers voted unanimously to approve a gradual expansion of ground surgery over a period of a few months, said Israeli media.

The first phase is said to include the seizure of additional areas of Gaza and the expansion of the “buffer zone” that runs along the boundaries of the territory with Israel and Egypt, with the aim of giving Israel extra leverage in negotiations with Hamas about a new reliability and yeast-release reasons.

An Israeli official was cited by the Haaretz newspaper and said that Netanyahu had said that the extensive offensive “differed from the previous in the sense that it moved from robberies-based operations to the occupation of the territory and a persistent Israeli presence in Gaza”.

Security cabinet member Zeev Elkin told the public broadcaster that there was “still a chance” for a new hostage release for the final president Trump’s 13-16 May trip to the Middle East “if Hamas understands that we are serious”.

During a visit to a naval base on Sunday, the Staff Chef of the Israeli army told LT Gen Gen Eyal Zamid Special Forces that tens of thousands of reservists were called “to strengthen and expand our activities in Gaza”.

“We are increasing the pressure with the aim of bringing our people home and beating Hamas. We will operate in extra areas and destroy all terrorist infrastructure – above and below ground,” said.

However, critics say that this is a failed strategy, because none of the 59 remaining hostages has been released since the offensive resumed six weeks ago.

The Gohostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the family members of hostages, said that the plan was an admission of the government that “the” areas for the hostages “and that this was” against the will of more than 70% of people “in Israel.

An Israeli political source told AFP News Agency that the Security Cabinet also “the possibility of a humanitarian distribution, if necessary, approved to prevent Hamas from taking over control over deliveries and to destroy the management opportunities”.

On Sunday, the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) said a forum that comprises UN agencies, said that Israeli officials wanted to “close the existing aid distribution system” and “agree to deliver stocks through Israeli Hubs under conditions established by the Israeli army, as soon as the government agrees”.

The HCT warned that the plan would mean that large parts of Gaza, including less mobile and most vulnerable people, would continue to go without stocks.

“It is contrary to fundamental humanitarian principles and seems to be designed to strengthen control of life-changing items as a pressure-tactics as part of a military strategy,” said it.

“It is dangerous, driving citizens in militarized zones to collect rations, threaten lives, including those of humanitarian employees, while it is further anchored forced relocation.”

Israel cut off all deliveries of humanitarian aid and other supplies to Gaza Aid on 2 March, two weeks before he resumed the offensive.

The UN says that according to international law, Israel is obliged to guarantee the stocks for the 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza, almost all of them displaced. Israel says that international law fails and that there is no shortage of help.

The Israeli army launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an unprecedented cross -border attack on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were held hostage.

Since then, at least 52,535 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Hamas-Runned Health Minister of Hamas.