Netanyahu Confirms Full Gaza Occupation Plan Amid Internal Rift and Global Alarm
JERUSALEM, Aug. 5 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday confirmed that a decision has been made to pursue the full occupation of the Gaza Strip, including military operations in areas where Israeli hostages are believed to be held, reported by AP. The announcement comes amid growing tensions within Israel’s leadership and renewed international concern over Gaza’s future.
“We’re committed to freeing Gaza from the tyranny of these terrorists,” Netanyahu declared in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Many Gazans come to us and say, ‘Help us be free of Hamas.’ That’s what we intend to do.”
His statement follows months of faltering ceasefire talks and hostage negotiations in Qatar. Meanwhile, friction between Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has intensified. The Prime Minister’s Office issued a sharp message reportedly aimed at Zamir: “If this does not suit you, you should resign.”
Netanyahu’s announcement coincides with increasing speculation over Israel’s long-term plans for Gaza. A 32-page document titled “Gaza Security and Recovery Program,” drafted by a group of Israeli military reservists and a right-leaning think tank, outlines a post-Hamas vision for the territory. The plan includes economic reconstruction, infrastructure rebuilding, and the ideological “de-Nazification” of Gaza — but pointedly excludes the Palestinian Authority, any future Palestinian statehood, or the involvement of the UN’s relief agency UNRWA.
Though not officially adopted, Israeli officials confirmed to Euronews that the plan is among scenarios under serious government consideration.
However, the direction appears to contradict Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s recent assertion to Euronews that Israel has “no intention” of maintaining long-term control over Gaza, citing only “security concerns.”
Netanyahu has also referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to resettle Gazans in other countries — a suggestion condemned internationally as a breach of humanitarian law.
With no ceasefire in sight and the humanitarian crisis worsening, the path forward in Gaza remains perilously uncertain.
