The Israeli government confirmed Friday morning that it would seek to occupy Gaza City — one of the few remaining areas in the war-torn region that has not already been evacuated or turned into an Israeli buffer zone.
The decision comes amidst growing international pressure for Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the strip as reports of devastating starvation and malnutrition mount. It immediately drew backlash from leaders in a swath of countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom.
The Israeli government said in a press release that ending the war would be contingent on, in addition to the release of Israeli hostages, the establishment of an “alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.”
The announcement appeared to stop short of comments Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made Thursday about occupying the entirety of Gaza. Israel already controls some three-quarters of the territory.
A series of international leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, quickly condemned the move, warning it would only bring more violence.
“The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately,” Starmer said in a statement. “This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages.”
Germany, meanwhile, moved to halt military exports that could be used in Gaza Friday, citing the decision of Netanyahu’s cabinet.
“The even harsher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, approved by the Israeli Cabinet last night, makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will be achieved,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
Prominent members of Netanyahu’s cabinet have also advocated for even more escalatory measures in Gaza. Itmar Ben-Gvir and Bezalez Smotrich, two far-right ministers, have proposed displacing Palestinians out of Gaza, a move that international observers said would be ethnic cleansing.
Israel occupied Gaza until 2005. In late July, Smotrich mulled rebuilding Israeli settlements in the strip that had been evacuated 20 years prior.
