Israel's military at odds with political leaders over Gazapublished at 16:59 British Summer Time 7 August

16:59 BST 7 August

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem

Image source, Reuters

The divergences between Israel’s military and political leadership have made headlines in the last few days, with the army’s chief of staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, opposing plans supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fully occupy Gaza.

Zamir reportedly told Netanyahu in a tense meeting earlier this week that this was “tantamount to walking into a trap”. Still, the proposal is expected to be approved by the security cabinet.

The plan is likely to see the Israeli military, which controls around 75% of the territory, operating in Gaza City and the camps in the central of the Strip, where around one million Palestinians live.

The military has warned that an expansion of the offensive would endanger the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive and thought to be held in those areas, and put soldiers at risk. The hostage families share those concerns: they say the only way to guarantee the release of the hostages is through a negotiated deal.

This morning, the Ma’ariv newspaper reported that the “prevailing assessment is that most and possibly all of the living hostages [will] die” during any expanded offensive, either killed by their captors or accidentally by Israeli soldiers.

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem

Israeli media report that the meeting of the Israeli security cabinet to discuss plans for the military in Gaza has begun.

We'll bring you any updates about decisions reached at the meeting right here - stay with us.

Image source, Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's deliberations on the future of Gaza come as the war in the Strip continues.

In its latest update, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reported that 61,258 people had been killed in Israeli attacks since the recent conflict began on 7 October 2023. It said that a further 152,045 had been injured.

As a result of Israel's military operations, the UN estimates that 87% of Gaza is either a designated military zone, or subject to evacuation notices.

With displaced Palestinians therefore forced into refugee camps in the remaining areas, UN agencies have warned of a man-made mass starvation taking place.

According to the health ministry, four people have died of malnutrition in the last 24 hours. This takes the total death toll from malnutrition since the war began to 197, including 96 children.

Israel has insisted that there is "no starvation" in Gaza, and has backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in distributing aid, as well as recently allowing air drops of supplies into the territory.

A group of UN experts, though, have called for GHF to be scrapped after the UN reported that at least 859 people have been killed around GHF distribution sites since the beginning of its operations.

Image source, Fox News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Fox News "we intend" to take control of the whole of Gaza.

Speaking ahead of an Israeli security cabinet meeting, Netanyahu is asked by the outlet whether Israel will take control of the Strip.

He responds: "We intend to, in order to ensure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza and to pass it to civilian governance - that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel".

"We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas," he adds.

But Netanyahu also says Israel does "not want to keep it".

"We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body," he adds.

Image source, EPA

Israel's plans to occupy Gaza would initially see one million residents in the Strip pushed further south.

Israeli media says the country's goal is to destroy what remains of Hamas in Gaza after nearly two years of fighting in the Strip.

Outlets report the aim is to pressure Hamas into freeing the hostages still held in Gaza.

But Israel's plans don't involve an immediate takeover of the entire territory, according to sources that have spoken to Israeli media.

Instead, Hebrew-language outlets suggest that Netanyahu is more likely to approve a phased plan, potentially spanning the course of five months, after firstly issuing an evacuation notice to the residents of Gaza City.

Channel 12 news says this first phase, expected to last several weeks, would allow time to establish civilian infrastructure including hospitals and camps in central Gaza.

A military offensive would follow, alongside an acceleration of humanitarian aid, while Palestinians are moved further south, Israeli media reports.

At the same time, other Israeli media sources say that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will perform manoeuvres in areas where the hostages are believed to be held, as well as regions in central Gaza which they have so far largely avoided during the conflict.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to press his security cabinet to approve a plan to take control of Gaza at a meeting this afternoon.

Fears are circulating that the new military escalation would endanger Palestinians living in the Strip, who have been pushed into shrinking areas since the war began nearly two years ago.

Meanwhile, the families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza fear that increased military operations will endanger about 20 living Israeli captives.

Netanyahu has told Fox News "we intend to" take control of the whole of Gaza to "ensure our security" and "remove Hamas there".

"We want to liberate ourselves and the liberate the people of Gaza," he says.

Israel's media has been reporting for several days that the prime minister is seeking backing for a plan to expand the military operation in Gaza and reoccupy the entire territory.

This comes after indirect talks between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire and hostage deal broke down and Palestinian armed groups released videos of two Israeli hostages looking weak and emaciated.

There are reports that military leaders oppose the reoccupation.

Many of Israel's close allies would also condemn such a move as they push for an end to the war.

Stick with us as we bring you the latest developments and analysis on the Middle East.