Israel’s security cabinet met Thursday night to formally approve Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, despite opposition from some military leaders and growing demonstrations across the country. Protesters gathered outside the meeting venue, voicing frustration over the government’s handling of the war, while Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has warned that the decision would pose a risk to the Israeli prisoners still held in Gaza.
In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s intention to seize control of all of Gaza. When asked if the military would occupy the entire territory, he replied, “We intend to.” He maintained that Israel does not plan to govern the strip indefinitely, saying, “We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That’s not possible with Hamas.”
No Arab government has publicly endorsed the idea of a multinational Arab security contingent in Gaza. Regional states are widely seen as unwilling to assume such a role, as it would effectively make them occupiers of Palestinian land. Since Israel’s withdrawal from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula in 1982, it has periodically floated proposals to hand Gaza over to Egypt — offers that Cairo has repeatedly rejected for the same reason.
Reports in Israeli media earlier this week indicated Netanyahu had decided to move ahead with a full occupation, even as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates. At the time, some reports claimed U.S. President Donald Trump supported the move. In his interview Thursday, Netanyahu stopped short of confirming that, but when asked about Israel’s reported plans a day earlier, Trump said it was “pretty much up to Israel,” signaling at least tacit approval.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza continues to mount, with more than 100 civilians killed daily by Israeli military actions. Aid distribution sites run by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation have also been targeted, and local health officials report that over a dozen people are now dying from starvation each day.