Israeli Cabinet Decides on Full Occupation of Gaza

by CrownHeights.info

At a meeting last night, the Israeli Security Cabinet approved an operational plan that includes the full occupation of the Gaza Strip by the Israel Defense Force, similar to that of the West Bank.

The shift, in line with US President Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza, is a major shift in the Israeli war effort. The previous push into Gaza had been directed at putting pressure on Hamas for a hostage deal, flooding specific areas of Gaza with IDF soldiers and crushing Hamas fighters in the area. Then they withdrew.

A senior Israeli defense official says the IDF will launch newly termed Operation “Gideon’s Chariots”, a full-scale offensive in Gaza, if no hostage deal is reached with Hamas by the end of President Trump’s Middle East visit from May 13th to May 16th.

The operation, unanimously approved by Israel’s security cabinet, aims to defeat Hamas militarily, dismantle its governing infrastructure, and secure the release of all hostages. The official says the IDF will operate with full force, expand its presence across Gaza, and remain in every captured area, reversing the previous “hit-and-leave” tactics.

A mass evacuation of civilians from northern and central Gaza to southern zones will be carried out to separate them from Hamas operatives and ensure operational freedom. The Rafah model will be applied to secured zones—fully cleared of threats and absorbed into Israel’s security perimeter.

The blockade on humanitarian aid will continue during the operation. Aid will resume only after the evacuation, within a tightly monitored “sterile zone” in Rafah. There, aid will be distributed by civilian contractors and screened by the IDF to prevent diversion to Hamas.

The official stressed that this plan creates a limited window for a deal under the Witkoff framework, offering one final chance to reach an agreement before the assault begins. Even if a deal is made, Israel will retain all cleared territory and will not withdraw from the newly established security buffer zone around Gaza.

The plan also includes advancing voluntary emigration options for Gazans, especially those outside Hamas-controlled zones.