{"id":16112,"date":"2025-08-08T15:04:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=16112"},"modified":"2025-08-08T15:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:04:08","slug":"global-outcry-as-israel-moves-to-take-control-of-gaza-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/?p=16112","title":{"rendered":"Global outcry as Israel moves to take control of Gaza City"},"content":{"rendered":"
Israel\u2019s military will \u201ctake control\u201d of Gaza City under a new plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s security cabinet, drawing swift criticism from inside the country and abroad.<\/p>\n

Nearly two years into the Gaza war, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure a truce that would ease famine conditions for the territory\u2019s more than two million people and free hostages held by Palestinian militants.<\/p>\n

Hamas condemned the plan to expand fighting as a \u201cnew war crime,\u201d while close ally Germany took the unprecedented step of halting certain military exports to Israel over concerns they could be used in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Read More: Netanyahu eyes Gaza takeover<\/p>\n

Under the approved strategy to \u201cdefeat\u201d Hamas, the Israeli army \u201cwill prepare to take control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside combat zones,\u201d Netanyahu\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

Before the decision, Netanyahu told US network Fox News that Israel wanted a \u201csecurity perimeter\u201d in Gaza but did not intend to govern it, preferring to hand control to \u201cArab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Netanyahu\u2019s office said the cabinet adopted \u201cfive principles,\u201d including the territory\u2019s demilitarisation and creation of an alternative civil administration \u201cneither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Domestic reactions<\/p>\n

Opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced the plan as \u201ca disaster that will lead to many other disasters,\u201d warning it could endanger hostages and cost Israel diplomatically and financially.<\/p>\n

The Hostage and Missing Families Forum accused the government of \u201cabandoning\u201d captives.<\/p>\n

Some Israelis backed the move. \u201cAs they take control of Gaza, they will eliminate Hamas completely \u2014 maybe not completely, but at least a good percentage,\u201d said Chaim Klein, a 26-year-old yeshiva student.<\/p>\n

On the ground<\/p>\n

The Israeli army says it controls 75% of the Gaza Strip, mostly along the border. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas\u2019s 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza \u2014 including 27 confirmed dead.<\/p>\n

Gaza residents fear renewed fighting. \u201cThey tell us to go south, then back north, and now south again. We are human beings, but no one hears us,\u201d said Maysa al-Shanti, a 52-year-old mother of six.<\/p>\n

International agencies warn of worsening famine. The UN says Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid daily; current deliveries average 70\u201380. The WHO reports at least 99 deaths from malnutrition this year, likely an undercount.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Rifts in Israel over full Gaza occupation<\/p>\n

The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel\u2019s offensive has killed at least 61,258 Palestinians since 2023. The 2023 Hamas attack on Israel killed 1,219 people, according to official figures.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli plan<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia rejected Israel\u2019s Gaza City takeover plan, calling it \u201cstarvation\u201d and \u201cethnic cleansing\u201d of Palestinians.<\/p>\n

The foreign ministry \u201ccategorically\u201d condemned Israel\u2019s \u201cbrutal practices\u201d in Gaza.<\/p>\n

Germany halts arms exports<\/p>\n

Germany will suspend military exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced.<\/p>\n

The move marks a major policy shift for one of Israel\u2019s strongest allies. Merz said it was \u201cincreasingly difficult to understand\u201d how Israel\u2019s new plan would help disarm Hamas or free hostages.<\/p>\n

From October 2023 to May 2025, Germany approved at least \u20ac485 million in defence exports to Israel, including firearms, ammunition, and special vehicles.<\/p>\n

Merz reiterated Israel\u2019s right to self-defence but urged a ceasefire and warned against annexing the West Bank.<\/p>\n

EU urges reversal<\/p>\n

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Israel \u201cmust reconsider\u201d its Gaza plan.<\/p>\n

Belgium summoned Israel\u2019s ambassador to protest both the Gaza City plan and West Bank annexation ambitions.<\/p>\n

Other reactions<\/p>\n

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen urged Israel to reverse the decision, calling it \u201cwrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamas labelled the plan a \u201cwar crime\u201d and said Israel \u201cdoes not care\u201d about the fate of hostages.<\/p>\n

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk warned the takeover would \u201ccause more deaths and suffering\u201d and violated an International Court of Justice ruling to end the occupation.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Israel\u2019s military will \u201ctake control\u201d of Gaza City under a new plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s security cabinet, drawing swift criticism from inside the country and abroad. Nearly two years into the Gaza war, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure a truce that would ease famine conditions for the territory\u2019s more than two […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16112\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ipp-news.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}