Netanyahu Orders Acceleration of Gaza Occupation and Deepening Division Among Zionists
According to the english section of webangah news Agency, citing Mehr news Agency and Al Jazeera, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to expedite the occupation of Gaza City. This comes amid growing warnings about extensive legal and humanitarian consequences of the assault and increasing signs pointing toward potential negotiations for a possible ceasefire.
In his speech at the opening of the Knesset Museum in Jerusalem, Netanyahu claimed that israel is nearing the end of its battle. He emphasized intensifying operations focused on freeing Israeli captives held in Gaza and asserted that Gaza City remains Hamas’s last stronghold within the territory.
This claim contrasts with recent weeks’ Hamas ambush attacks carried out outside Gaza City.
Deepening divisions among Israeli leadership
Simultaneously occurring, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, adopted a cautious tone by stressing the need for soldiers to rest in order to maintain combat readiness. He reaffirmed his commitment to preserving innocent Israelis held captive.
The military attorney general issued stark warnings about legal repercussions stemming from occupying large parts of Gaza Strip. He noted that Israel’s responsibilities for delivering basic services-such as food, water, education, healthcare, and infrastructure-to residents would considerably increase. This could trigger intense international pressure on Israel.
The attorney general stressed that extending control over more territory while confining hundreds of thousands of palestinians into limited space will heighten political and legal challenges for Israel.
He also stated that if Israel controls over 75% of Gaza’s land area militarily, it would assume civilian administrative duties over thes zones-including essential service provision-thereby escalating obligations under international law.
In contrast, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister of National Security, supported accelerating the plan. He insisted political authorities must dictate decisions and criticized interference from other bodies regarding military strategy formulation.
Reuters quoted informed sources reporting that Israel’s military campaign could last several weeks or even months.Despite Netanyahu’s claims describing this attack as “very rapid” with an expected swift defeat for Hamas, some security cabinet members believe implementation may require more time.
Betsalel Smotrich-Israel’s Finance Minister and a security cabinet member-criticized the operation as primarily aimed at pressuring Hamas back to negotiations rather than outright defeating them. He urged Netanyahu to cancel this campaign altogether.
Additionally, Yair Lapid, opposition leader, labeled a full-scale invasion a “danger” to Israel. He warned about heavy casualties among soldiers and hostages alike alongside broader negative impacts on Tel Aviv’s security situation and its economy.
