Two officials anonymously told the AP the move was meant to help Israel defeat Hamas and free the remaining hostages being held in Gaza, where Israel now controls about 50 percent of the territory. But the plan raises questions about how Israel would govern a hostile population in Gaza, particularly in light of President Donald Trump‘s vision to take over the region.

Israel approved plans Monday to seize the Gaza Strip and to stay in the Palestinian territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, a move that, if implemented, would vastly expand Israel’s operations there and likely draw fierce international opposition. The new plan, which was approved in an early morning vote by Israeli Cabinet ministers, also calls for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move to Gaza’s south. That would likely amount to their forcible displacement and exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.

The military claims to be 'increasing the pressure' in an attempt to return hostages held in Gaza since Hamas' October 2023 incursion into southern Israel.