Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to escalate the conflict in Gaza with the intention of fully seizing the territory, according to Channel 12 in Israel. This comes amid increasing fatalities due to starvation alongside those killed by ongoing airstrikes.
On the previous day, Netanyahu held a meeting with the security cabinet to deliberate on the next steps in Gaza following the collapse of indirect ceasefire negotiations. A senior Israeli official revealed that deploying additional force is among the options being considered.
Netanyahu is scheduled to convene his government today to make a decision regarding this matter, as reported by Israeli media.
Last Saturday, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Wietcov stated during his visit to Israel that he is collaborating with the Israeli government on a plan aimed at effectively ending the conflict in Gaza. However, Israeli officials are proposing ideas that include expanding the military campaign and annexing parts of the devastated area.
A source informed Reuters on Sunday that the envoy’s visit was regarded as “extremely significant” within Israel.
Yet, later that same day, an Israeli official suggested that pursuing a diplomatic agreement would be futile and threatened the use of increased military force.
Strategic Clarity
Despite this, the interpretation of “military defeat” remains a topic of discussion among Israeli leadership. Some officials propose that Israel could announce the annexation of portions of Gaza as leverage against Hamas.
Others, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, advocate for Israel to impose military rule over Gaza before formal annexation, alongside the reconstruction of settlements that were evacuated two decades ago.
The Israeli military, which has previously dismissed these ideas throughout the conflict, is expected to present alternatives today, including expanding operations into areas of Gaza that have not yet been targeted, according to two military officials.
The officials noted that while some political leaders are urging an escalation of the offensive, the military is concerned about the risk to the lives of the twenty hostages who are still alive.
Israeli army radio reported that Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is increasingly frustrated with what he perceives as a lack of strategic clarity from political leadership, fearing the country could be drawn into a war of attrition.
Hunger and Deprivation
Meanwhile, health authorities reported that at least 40 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes in Gaza. The Gaza Ministry of Health stated that five individuals died from hunger or malnutrition within the past 24 hours. The new fatalities have raised the hunger-related death toll to 180, including 93 children, since the onset of the conflict.
The ministry reiterated that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen due to the blockade and shortages of food and medical supplies, renewing its call for immediate intervention from the international community and relief organizations.
According to the United Nations, Gaza is on the brink of famine as Israel controls all border crossings leading to the coastal territory and has restricted humanitarian aid from entering over the past several months.
Palestinian officials and others within the UN have indicated that Gaza requires approximately 600 aid trucks daily to meet humanitarian needs, a number that Israel allowed into the territory before the conflict began.