Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has staunchly defended his government’s controversial plan to seize control of Gaza City, framing it as the quickest route to dismantle Hamas’s military infrastructure and end the nearly two-year-long. Speaking at a press conference in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu argued that Gaza City remains the operational “nerve center” of Hamas and that its capture is essential to Israel’s security. He described the planned takeover as a “decisive and necessary” step, insisting that without eliminating Hamas’s hold over the city, “peace will remain out of reach, and hostages will never come home.”
According to Netanyahu, the operation will not result in permanent Israeli governance of Gaza. Instead, he proposed that control would eventually be handed to “regional partners” — possibly Arab nations — or to a new administrative body that would exclude both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
The prime minister’s remarks come amid mounting domestic pushback. Critics, including opposition leader Yair Lapid and several senior Israel Defense Forces officers, have warned that urban warfare in Gaza City could lead to heavy Israeli casualties and further endanger the estimated 20 hostages still held in the enclave. Humanitarian organizations have also sounded the alarm. With Gaza already facing famine, mass displacement, and infrastructure collapse, the takeover could deepen the humanitarian crisis and limit access for aid groups.
The United Nations, European Union, and several Western allies have urged Israel to reconsider. UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned the move could amount to “mass forced displacement” and “atrocity crimes.” Germany temporarily suspended certain arms exports to Israel over the plan, while the UK expressed “grave concern” about the humanitarian fallout.
Netanyahu’s decision to double down on the plan signals a significant tactical shift. Until now, Israel’s operations have focused on targeted raids and containment, rather than holding territory. Seizing and maintaining control over Gaza City could mark the most extensive Israeli military presence in the enclave since the 2005 disengagement.
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