"Israel's" National Security Council greenlights plan to control Gaza

The Israeli Occupation's National Security Cabinet approved a plan on Monday for an incursion into the Gaza Strip and its control after calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers to expand operations and push forward the idea of "voluntary migration" for Palestinians, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The security cabinet, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, approved the plan "unanimously." The cabinet stated that the goal is to eliminate Hamas through "powerful strikes" against it, without specifying the nature of these strikes, and to recover captives held in the Strip.

Read more: Netanyahu: Defeating Hamas is more important than returning captives

This Israeli Occupation's decision comes at a time when the UN and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, with the risk of famine returning after more than two months of an ongoing "Israeli" blockade.

The security cabinet approved the plan late Sunday into Monday, which, according to an "Israeli" official, "includes, among other things, an incursion into Gaza, maintaining control over its territory, and relocating Gaza's residents to the south for their protection."

Since Sunday, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) announced the call-up of "tens of thousands" of reserve soldiers.

Hamas rejected the Israeli Occupation's plan, describing it as a tool for "political extortion" in the ongoing war that has lasted for more than a year and a half.

Hamas said that the announced plan "represents a violation of international law and a renunciation of the occupying forces' obligations under the Geneva Convention."

The European Union (EU) expressed concern over the plan, calling on Israel to "exercise maximum restraint."

- Migration Plan -

According to "Israeli" media, the plan will not be implemented before the upcoming visit of US President Donald Trump to the region next week.

During the meeting, Netanyahu, according to an "Israeli" official, confirmed that he is "continuing to promote" Trump’s plan regarding the "voluntary migration" of Gaza’s residents, part of the idea Trump proposed last February to control Gaza, rebuild it, and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East."

Read more: Trump suggests relocating 1M Palestinians from Gaza to Arab nations

Trump had suggested moving Gaza’s residents to Egypt or Jordan, both of which rejected the proposal. The idea also sparked widespread international criticism.

Later, the Israeli Occupation focused on this idea by creating a special administration aimed at facilitating the departure of Palestinians from Gaza and seeking host countries.

In March, "Israeli" Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the controversial Trump plan "is taking shape, with continuous steps in coordination with the US administration... including identifying key countries, understanding their interests, both with the US and with us, and enhancing cooperation."

On Monday, families of the captives held in Gaza said that the plan approved by the security cabinet should be called the "Smotrich-Netanyahu plan for sacrificing hostages and abandoning national and security resilience."

- What about the blockade? -

The security cabinet also approved the "potential distribution of humanitarian aid if necessary" in Gaza, which has been under a strict Israeli Occupation blockade since March 2.

In its meeting, the cabinet stated that Gaza "has enough food."

Read more: Gaza occupation outweighs captive rescue: "Israeli" minister

"Israel" accused Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid and says it stopped the entry of aid into the Strip to pressure Hamas and force it to release the captives.

However, Hamas has held the Israeli Occupation "fully responsible for the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza."