In a significant escalation of its ongoing war in Gaza, Israel’s security cabinet has formally approved a new military and humanitarian strategy that signals a deeper and more permanent military presence in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The plan, described by officials as a “conquest of territory and remaining there,” marks a shift from intermittent military campaigns to one of territorial occupation and sustained displacement of civilians.
The cabinet’s decision on Sunday came just hours after the Israeli military announced it would mobilize tens of thousands of reservists. This move, according to Israeli officials, is meant to strengthen the military’s operational capacity across Gaza, where violence has surged since mid-March following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire.
Mass Displacement and Mounting Casualties
The new war doctrine centers on displacing Gaza’s northern population southward, while Israel intensifies “powerful strikes” on Hamas positions. However, the humanitarian cost continues to soar. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, over 2,400 Palestinians have been killed since mid-March alone, bringing the total death toll since the war began to 52,535. These figures underscore the staggering toll of a conflict that began after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israeli territory.
As airstrikes resume with ferocity, reports from rescuers in Gaza confirm at least 19 deaths overnight in northern Gaza alone. The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate with each passing day, amid fears that further escalation could devastate an already suffering civilian population.
A Ceasefire Dangled Before Trump Visit
Interestingly, Israeli officials hinted that the renewed military campaign may be executed in phases, leaving room for a possible ceasefire and a hostage release agreement ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the region in mid-May. While Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar, no stop in Israel has been confirmed.
The suggestion of a potential ceasefire timed with political optics has not gone unnoticed. Critics have accused the Israeli government of using military and humanitarian leverage as tools in broader geopolitical maneuvering, further complicating efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
Aid System Revamped Amid Blockade and Famine Fears
In tandem with its military plans, the Israeli cabinet also approved a new framework for delivering humanitarian aid into Gaza, a move that follows nine weeks of a total blockade that has drawn sharp condemnation from international humanitarian organizations.
The new mechanism, crafted in coordination with the United States, is intended to bypass Hamas and prevent aid diversion. According to a U.S. State Department official, the delivery system will be managed by an unnamed private foundation, and is designed to channel aid to Gaza’s civilians while placing strict controls to ensure it is not commandeered by Hamas or Islamic Jihad.
However, aid agencies and UN officials have swiftly rejected the proposal, warning that the framework fails to adhere to international humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. In a joint statement, several organizations operating in the Palestinian territories said the plan appears “designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items” and would likely fail to reach Gaza’s most vulnerable.
Internal Tensions Over Aid in Israel’s Cabinet
The decision to resume aid deliveries sparked sharp divisions within Israel’s own cabinet. Far-right ministers, Itamar Ben Gvir and Orit Strook, fiercely opposed the move, while IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir argued that Israel is bound by international law to facilitate humanitarian access.
An Israeli official confirmed that reports of internal disputes were accurate, reflecting the broader ideological fault lines within Netanyahu’s ruling coalition. Critics warn that such infighting is delaying critical decisions even as the humanitarian crisis worsens.
Starvation as a Weapon of War?
International law experts and rights groups have issued grave warnings, accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, a charge that, if proven, would constitute a war crime. The continued restriction of food, fuel, and medical supplies has pushed Gaza dangerously close to a man-made famine, exacerbating what humanitarian agencies describe as an already catastrophic situation.
Despite Israeli claims that cutting off aid is necessary to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages, aid organizations argue this strategy is inflicting collective punishment on civilians, many of whom are already displaced and impoverished.
Hostage Families – ‘They’re Being Sacrificed’
Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza have expressed outrage at the newly approved military campaign, accusing the Netanyahu government of “sacrificing” their loved ones for political and military gain.
In a blistering statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum described the cabinet’s strategy as the “Smotrich-Netanyahu Plan,” named after far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The group said the aggressive push into Gaza endangers the lives of hostages and prioritizes conquest over diplomacy.
The Last Bit, A Region on Edge
With over 52,000 Palestinians killed and the humanitarian situation worsening by the day, Israel’s new conquest strategy and conditional aid framework have triggered alarm both domestically and internationally. As President Trump’s Middle East visit looms, the coming weeks could either see a pivot toward de-escalation, or a plunge into deeper, more entrenched violence.
How the world responds, and whether the proposed aid mechanism can be implemented without compromising humanitarian principles, remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the war in Gaza is entering a new, and potentially even more perilous phase.
