Netanyahu Defended Israel’s Plan To Take Full Control Of Gaza, Saying It’s "The Best Way To End The War"
"I want to end the war as quickly as possible, and that is why I have instructed the [Israeli military] to shorten the schedule for seizing control of Gaza City."
Despite facing widespread international backlash, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended Israel's plan to take full control of Gaza, saying it is "the best way to end the war."
Speaking at a press conference on Aug. 10, Netanyahu confirmed the plan to first take over Gaza City and the central camps, insisting that Israel has “no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas.”
"I want to end the war as quickly as possible, and that is why I have instructed the [Israeli military] to shorten the schedule for seizing control of Gaza City," he said.
Netanyahu said the take over would focus on Gaza City, which he claimed was Hamas' "capital of terrorism", followed by the coastal areas in central Gaza.
Netanyahu had first shared the plan in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Aug. 7, with his proposal being approved by his security cabinet in the early hours of Aug. 8.
The cabinet has set a deadline of Oct. 7 for the military to complete evacuating hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City before the military pushes into the city, an anonymous Israeli official told the New York Times.
The plan is not backed by the Israeli military, which has warned that further military expansion could endanger the lives of Israeli hostages, saying “most and possibly all of the living hostages [will] die”, according to the BBC.
These concerns are echoed by the families of the Israeli hostages and even some members of Netanyahu's own coalition, who have voiced opposition to the plan.
The UN, several Western countries and humanitarian organizations have also all strongly condemned the plan, saying that it would violate international law and worsen the humanitarian crisis already happening in Gaza due to 22 months of Israel's genocide.
However, Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will proceed “with or without the support of others,” and thanked US President Donald Trump for his continued backing.
He claimed that Israel’s goal is not to occupy Gaza, but to “free Gaza” from Hamas, demilitarize it and pass governance of the strip to non-Israeli forces while still under Israeli security control.
He also said Israel would allow more “safe corridors” and distribution points to increase humanitarian aid and that foreign journalists would be allowed into Gaza under military supervision.
Israel's genocide has killed more than 61,499 Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.
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