Netanyahu Approves Plan to Fully Occupy Gaza Strip

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Monday evening that a plan has been developed for Israel to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

The plan will include the Israel Defense Forces operating in areas where hostages are believed to be held despite Hamas’s threats to murder hostages if forces get too close, The Jerusalem Post reported. Hamas killed six hostages last September — including American citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin— in Rafah shortly before the IDF reached them.

The Prime Minister’s office also encouraged IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, to resign from his position if he disagrees with a full occupation.

“If this does not suit him, you should resign,” the office reportedly said.

The decision came after Hamas tanked ceasefire negotiations last month, leading to President Donald Trump saying the terror group “wants to die.”

“They pulled out in terms of negotiation,” Trump said. “It was too bad. Hamas didn’t really want to make a deal. I think they want to die and it’s very, very bad. It got to be to a point where you’re going to finish the job.”

Trump added that Hamas did not want to make a deal because they are down to the final 50 hostages and “they know what happens after you get the final hostages.”

Witkoff said the ceasefire talks fell through because Hamas was not acting “in good faith.”

“We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff wrote. “It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way.”

Over the past few days, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad released videos of severely malnourished hostages, including one of Evyatar David, who the terror organization forced to dig his own grave.

“This is the grave I think I’m going to be buried in. Time is running out,” David said in the video.

Hamas has reportedly barred the Red Cross from delivering food to hostages unless Israel permanently opens humanitarian corridors and suspends all air traffic during such deliveries, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The IDF has been finishing up its operation dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots” in recent weeks and has withdrawn its elite 98th Division, made up of paratroopers and commando units, along with two reserve brigades, reported the Times of Israel.

The operation led to the IDF gaining control of approximately 75% of the Gaza Strip. Since the launch of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, 48 IDF soldiers have been killed.