Days after the ceasefire talks with Hamas ended in a deadlock, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly gearing up to fully occupy the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is expected to present the Gaza occupation plan, which includes bringing the hostages back, during the upcoming cabinet discussions.
Reports suggest that the plan was prepared after Israeli officials decided that neither partial measures or a comprehensive deal can bring back hostages.
So Netanyahu and his allies plan to order the Israeli Defence Forces to capture Gaza and subdue Hamas. That would mean expanding ground operations to areas where Israelis believed to be held captive.
Families of hostages fear an expanded offensive would put their loved ones at risk. That's one of the reasons why the IDF is said to be opposed to this plan.
Defence leaders have warned that it would be impossible to retrieve the remaining hostages through military operations alone.
But, that's not all. Military leadership has been struggling to motivate troops amid saturation and war fatigue among Israeli forces.
There were even reports of IDF reservists abandoning their military duties. According to local media, IDF personnel who previously served in Gaza were fleeing Israel after being asked to report back to duty.
Add to that the massive task of fully eliminating Hamas. Military leaders believe it would take years to fully dismantle the group's infrastructure, and likely cause more casualties among Israeli forces.
Israeli newspaper Ynet quoted senior officials to suggest that Netanyahu had been developing the plan in secret, and despite opposition from from defence agencies, he has now decided to execute it.
The report also claims the Prime Minister would fire the IDF Chief if he pushed back against his Gaza occupation plan.
Notably, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has canceled his scheduled trip to the United States.
Zamir was set to attend the handover ceremony for the new head of US Central Command, and to meet with US officials at the Pentagon.
But, according to the IDF, Zamir’s trip was conditional on a ceasefire in Gaza. They claim Zamir canceled the visit as talks failed.
Along with Zamir, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, Mossad chief David Barnea, Major General Nitzan Alon -- who is handling the hostage file for the military, and Shin Bet’s chief negotiator are still pushing for a deal with Hamas. That's according to Israel's Channel 12 News.
Netanyahu's Gaza occupation is likely to be met with resistance from these quarters.
Meanwhile, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Military Secretary Major General Roman Gofman, and Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs have expressed support for the plan.
Interestingly, Defense Minister Israel Katz -- usually a vocal proponent of aggressive action in Gaza -- is reportedly undecided on the plan.
Currently, the IDF occupies over 75 percent of Gaza. As Netanyahu moves toward full occupation and eventual annexation of the Strip, what remains uncertain is the impact this will have on the Palestinian population living in the Strip.
They're already grappling with starvation induced by Israel’s blockade on aid. Experts suggest that any further escalation of military operations could turn the Strip into a death trap for civilians and risk the lives of hostages. But, according to Ynet, US President Donald Trump has already greenlit Netanyahu's Gaza occupation plan.
