Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a major escalation in the ongoing conflict with Hamas, signaling plans for a prolonged and aggressive military offensive in Gaza. The decision, approved by Israel’s security cabinet, could involve a ground invasion and tighter control over humanitarian aid, sparking international concern and raising the specter of a wider regional war.
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans Monday for an “intensive” new military offensive in the Gaza Strip, marking a dramatic escalation in the months-long conflict with Hamas and raising concerns of a prolonged and possibly wider war in the region.
The announcement came shortly after Israel’s security cabinet approved a new military strategy that could include a gradual seizure of parts of Gaza and a tightening grip on humanitarian aid flows into the densely populated Palestinian territory.
In a video message released late Monday evening, Netanyahu warned that the next phase of the campaign would be far more aggressive than previous efforts. “The operation will be intensive and long,” he said, adding that more Palestinians in Gaza would be relocated “for their own safety.” He did not specify where civilians would be moved or how such evacuations would be carried out in the already overcrowded and devastated enclave.
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“The Intention Is the Opposite”
Significantly, Netanyahu suggested a strategic shift in military tactics. Unlike previous campaigns, which relied heavily on airstrikes and limited incursions by Israeli forces based outside of Gaza, this plan appears to involve deeper and sustained ground operations.
“This time, the intention is the opposite,” Netanyahu said, referring to Israel’s intention to hold onto ground already taken inside Gaza. This aligns with statements from other Israeli officials in recent days, suggesting Israel may seek to establish long-term control over key areas of the territory—a move that would mark one of the most substantial escalations since the initial outbreak of fighting in October 2023.
An Israeli defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the new operation would not begin until after U.S. President Donald Trump concludes his Middle East visit next week, a trip aimed at bolstering regional diplomacy and potentially mediating new ceasefire efforts, Israel may seize all Gaza in expanded operation, officials say
Ceasefire Talks Collapse
The decision follows weeks of failed ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, brokered intermittently by Egypt and Qatar, which had aimed to bring a halt to the violence that has left Gaza in ruins and strained Israel’s international relationships.
With no resolution in sight, and public opinion in Israel becoming increasingly fractured—some demanding a harder line against Hamas, others pleading for an end to the conflict—the Israeli government appears to be bracing for a long-term engagement.
“This is not going to be a matter of days,” said political analyst Yael Bronstein of the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies. “The cabinet has essentially greenlit an open-ended operation. That’s a major turning point.”
According to a report from Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, the new military plan is designed to unfold in phases over several months. It will reportedly begin with a focus on a specific zone in the war-torn enclave, likely the southern city of Khan Younis or the central refugee camps where Israeli forces have faced fierce resistance in the past.
A Region on Edge
The escalation comes at a time of mounting regional tension and growing criticism of Israel’s conduct from the international community. Humanitarian agencies have warned that Gaza’s civilian population—over 2 million people—faces catastrophic conditions, with food, water, electricity, and medical supplies running dangerously low.
By controlling aid into the Strip, Israel aims to prevent resources from falling into the hands of Hamas, which it and many Western countries designate as a terrorist organization. But aid groups say the restrictions are pushing Gaza’s civilians to the brink.
“The humanitarian situation is beyond dire,” said Dr. Leila Hassan, a spokesperson for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). “Every day we wait, people die—not from bombs, but from thirst, hunger, and disease.”
Meanwhile, regional actors are watching closely. Iran, a major backer of Hamas, has warned against further Israeli incursions, while Egypt and Jordan have privately expressed fears of a spillover effect. In the West Bank, tensions remain high, and sporadic violence continues between Israeli settlers, Palestinians, and security forces.
International Pressure and Political Stakes
Netanyahu, who has faced criticism from both hardliners in his coalition and a frustrated public, is walking a fine line. On one hand, he is under pressure to decisively crush Hamas after the group’s deadly attacks on Israeli towns and military posts last year. On the other, continued military action is drawing sharp rebukes from international allies, including some voices in Washington.
President Trump, whose Middle East visit is expected to include stops in Jerusalem, Riyadh, and Cairo, has expressed “strong support for Israel’s right to self-defense” but has also urged “restraint and humanitarian consideration.” Any Israeli ground offensive launched during his trip would likely be seen as a snub.
Still, Netanyahu remains defiant. “We will do what is necessary to protect our people and ensure that terrorism does not threaten our borders again,” he said Monday.
But as the smoke continues to rise over Gaza and the diplomatic pathways narrow, a grim question looms over the region.
In a bold escalation of its ongoing military campaign, Israel is preparing to execute a sweeping ground offensive that would see its forces seize control of the entire Gaza Strip, displace its civilian population further south, and establish long-term security zones under direct military oversight. The plan, which marks a significant intensification of Israel’s operational scope, has ignited alarm among international observers and humanitarian groups as the enclave teeters on the brink of famine.
A senior Israeli defense official confirmed that the operation—dubbed “Gideon Chariots”—has received high-level political and military approval and could commence imminently, contingent upon the failure of ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations. “If there is no hostage deal, Operation Gideon Chariots will begin with great intensity and will not stop until all its goals are achieved,” the official said.
According to the official, the goals include complete territorial control over Gaza, the forced relocation of civilians to the southern city of Rafah, and a new aid distribution mechanism that bypasses international aid organizations. Humanitarian supplies, currently managed by the United Nations and various NGOs, would instead be rerouted through private contractors under military supervision—a move widely condemned by aid agencies who warn it could further politicize life-saving relief.
Surveillance Zones and Strategic Encirclement
Even prior to this announcement, Israeli troops had already secured approximately one-third of Gaza, carving out what the military describes as “security zones.” These zones, fortified with watchtowers and surveillance infrastructure, were justified as protective buffers for Israeli border communities but have effectively depopulated swaths of northern and central Gaza, raising concerns of permanent displacement.
The defense official said that these zones are “non-negotiable” and will remain under Israeli control post-offensive, “because they are vital for protecting Israeli communities around the enclave.”
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The impending assault comes amid a crippling aid blockade imposed by Israel in March following the collapse of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire. The blockade has triggered severe food shortages, with the United Nations issuing repeated warnings that Gaza’s 2.3 million residents face “imminent famine.” U.N. officials have urged both sides to reopen humanitarian corridors and refrain from using aid as leverage in political or military objectives.
“This is a manufactured catastrophe,” said a U.N. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Humanitarian assistance is being treated as a weapon of war, and the consequences are devastating.”
Hamas Dismisses Israeli Ultimatum
In response to the new Israeli strategy, Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi rejected the notion of concessions under threat. “No deal except a comprehensive one,” he said, “which includes a complete ceasefire, full withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and the release of all prisoners from both sides.”
The militant group has accused Israel of using both military aggression and economic strangulation as tactics to subdue Palestinian resistance and enforce long-term demographic changes within the territory.
Ceasefire Hopes Tied to Trump Visit
Sources inside Israel’s security establishment believe there remains a slim “window of opportunity” for a truce, possibly tied to an upcoming visit by former U.S. President Donald Trump, whose influence with Israeli leadership and regional allies could shape the diplomatic outcome.
The official did not confirm whether Trump’s visit would include meetings with Palestinian representatives or international mediators, but suggested that “a breakthrough is still possible if all parties are serious about hostages and peace.”
Global Reaction and Legal Warnings
The international community remains deeply divided. While some Western allies continue to back Israel’s right to self-defense, human rights organizations and legal scholars have warned that the scale of destruction and forced displacement in Gaza may violate international humanitarian law. Calls for investigations into possible war crimes have grown louder, especially as satellite imagery and on-the-ground reports reveal systematic infrastructure destruction in cleared zones.
In Washington, congressional voices have begun to diverge. While the Biden administration has publicly called for restraint, behind closed doors officials are reportedly grappling with how to manage a spiraling humanitarian disaster without alienating a key Middle East ally during an election year.
The Road Ahead
As the situation barrels toward a fateful decision point, the people of Gaza once again find themselves trapped in the crosshairs of regional power plays and historical grievances. What happens in the coming days—whether through diplomacy or force—will likely shape the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for years to come.
Will a last-minute ceasefire be brokered? Or will “Operation Gideon Chariots” become the most comprehensive Israeli incursion into Gaza since the 1967 war?