Gaza City: At What Cost Occupation?

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir officially approved a plan on Sunday to occupy Gaza City, local media reported.

Defense Minister Israel Katz is scheduled to formally approve the plan next Tuesday, according to Israel’s official broadcaster, Kan.

The Security and Political Cabinet will meet later this week to approve the plan, Kan said, adding that Nitzan Alon, the army’s official in charge of prisoners and hostages, took part in the discussions that led to the decision.

The plan includes a broad forced evacuation of Palestinians over at least two weeks, beginning with a military operation followed by a gradual entry into the city. Israeli authorities will present the evacuation plan to US officials at their request.

Channel 12 reported that the plan will be ratified by the government before the end of the week.

On Aug. 8, the Israeli Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to gradually occupy the Gaza Strip, beginning with Gaza City.

As part of the plan, on Aug. 11, Israeli forces launched a major attack on the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, including house demolitions using explosive-laden robots, artillery strikes, random gunfire, and forced displacement, witnesses told Anadolu.

Israel has killed more than 61,900 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.