Israel approves Gaza “conquest” plan

Israel’s security cabinet has voted to expand military operations in Gaza that can be described “conquest” of enclave. The vote came hours after the military said it would mobilize tens of thousands of reservists, strengthening its capacity to operate in the besieged Palestinian territory.

The new plan for Israel’s war in Gaza involves “the conquest of territory and remaining there.” The Israeli military will displace the Palestinian population to southern Gaza while carrying out “powerful strikes” against Hamas.

Over 2,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since mid-March when Israel launched a wave of deadly strikes, shattering a ceasefire which had been in place for nearly two months. More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

The expansion of the fighting will be gradual to give a chance for a renewed ceasefire and hostage release deal before US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region in mid-May. Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar next week.

The cabinet also discussed allowing the resumption of aid deliveries into Gaza under a new framework which was approved, but has not yet been implemented. An Israeli blockade of all humanitarian aid into the strip is now in its ninth week.

Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan 11, reported that a confrontation had broken out during Sunday’s meeting over the resumption of aid deliveries with two far-right members of the cabinet, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and settlements minister Orit Strook opposed to any resumption of aid and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir arguing Israel was obligated to facilitate them under international law.

The Israeli media reports about the arguments over the aid “are not wrong.”

Israel says it cut off the entry of humanitarian aid to pressure Hamas to release hostages. But international organizations say its actions violate international law and risks creating a man-made famine, with some accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war – a war crime.

The US and Israeli officials are discussing a mechanism to deliver aid to Gaza that bypasses Hamas. An announcement could be made “in the coming days.”

The delivery mechanism in the works is intended to allow aid to reach the Palestinian population with safeguards to ensure it is not diverted by Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

An unnamed private foundation would manage the aid mechanism and the delivery of humanitarian supplies into Gaza.

The US expects the United Nations and international aid organizations to work with the framework of the foundation’s mechanism to ensure that supplies do not reach Hamas.

Aid agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territory rejected the new framework for aid deliveries Sunday saying the plan appeared “designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items” and would fail to ensure aid reached Gaza’s most vulnerable residents.

The UN Secretary-General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator have made clear that they will not participate in any scheme that does not adhere to the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.