Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to “prepare to take control of Gaza City,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced late Thursday, 7 August, ahead of a key cabinet meeting on the next stage of the Gaza war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that a “detailed plan” will be drawn up for the administration that replaces Hamas, adding that Israel will not assume civilian governance over the Gaza Strip and that the Palestinian Authority will be excluded from the process. He emphasized that Israel’s goal is to seize control of the entire Gaza Strip before transferring authority to an as-yet-unnamed Arab administration. “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter, but we don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body,” Netanyahu said in an interview. Israel does not intend to occupy or annex Gaza, but aims to dismantle Hamas, secure the release of hostages, and transfer control of Gaza to a transitional government, according to Netanyahu. The move appears to mark the first stage in what officials suggest could be a months-long campaign to take over the…
Israel Prepares to Take Control of Gaza City After Cabinet Approval
August 8, 2025
