Netanyahu convenes safety cupboard to debate plans to occupy Gaza, official says

LONDON and TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is assembly along with his safety cupboard on Thursday, an Israeli official mentioned, as he considers plans to occupy the Gaza Strip regardless of worldwide condemnation of the deteriorating humanitarian scenario there.

Netanyahu is predicted to ask the cupboard to approve plans for the Isreal Protection Forces to progressively seize Gaza Metropolis, the most important metropolis within the territory, the Israeli official advised ABC Information.

The cupboard was anticipated to satisfy at about 6 p.m. native time, or 11 a.m. ET, the supply mentioned.

Netanyahu mentioned Israel “intends to” take management of all of Gaza, however “we do not need to maintain it or govern it,” he mentioned in an interview Thursday with Fox Information.

“We do not need to be there as a governing physique. We need to hand it over to Arab forces that can govern it correctly with out threatening us and giving Gazans a superb life. That is not potential with Hamas,” Netanyahu mentioned forward of assembly with the safety cupboard.

Netanyahu mentioned within the interview that he has not mentioned Israel occupying all of Gaza with President Donald Trump.

“He understands that it is Israel who’s going to do the preventing. It isn’t American troopers,” Netanyahu advised Fox when requested if Trump has given him the inexperienced mild to occupy all of Gaza.

“Nicely he simply says, ‘I do know Israel goes to do what it may do,’ and we have not gotten into that form of dialogue,” Netanyahu mentioned.

Responding to Netanyahu’s feedback on Fox, Hamas mentioned the prime minister’s feedback revealed the true motive Israel withdrew from the negotiations to achieve a ceasefire deal.

“Netanyahu’s statements symbolize a blatant reversal of the negotiation course of and clearly expose the true motives behind his withdrawal from the most recent spherical of talks, regardless of us nearing a ultimate settlement,” Hamas mentioned in an announcement.

“Netanyahu’s plans to escalate the aggression verify, with none doubt, that he’s searching for to eliminate his captives and sacrifice them in service of his private pursuits and extremist ideological agenda,” Hamas continued.

The Hostage Households Discussion board known as for the Israeli cupboard to return to negotiations and attain a deal that can deliver the remaining hostages dwelling.

“We’re interesting to the cupboard — the enlargement of the preventing is a hazard of demise and rapid disappearance for our family members — look us within the eye if you select to sacrifice them,” the Hostage Households Discussion board mentioned in an announcement.

Two sources conversant in the matter advised ABC Information earlier this week that Netanyahu had determined to suggest that the IDF transfer ahead with a plan to completely conquer and occupy the Palestinian territory.

Netanyahu held a three-hour restricted safety cupboard assembly on Tuesday the place the matter was mentioned, in response to a readout from the prime minister’s workplace.

“The IDF is ready to implement any resolution made by the Political-Safety Cupboard,” the readout mentioned.

On Sunday, an Israeli official advised ABC Information that Netanyahu was pushing to develop the army operation in Gaza on the grounds that he felt Hamas just isn’t eager about reaching a brand new deal below which surviving hostages may very well be launched.

When requested in regards to the potential enlargement of the marketing campaign in Gaza, U.S. State Division spokesperson Tammy Bruce mentioned Tuesday, “Reporting is one factor. Actual plans could be one other. We aren’t within the enterprise of decoding statements from overseas governments when and in the event that they’re made.”

“We do stay centered on releasing the hostages, together with the stays of two Individuals, and making certain that Hamas by no means guidelines Gaza once more,” Bruce mentioned.

ABC Information’ Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.