The plan's approval came after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. Details of the plan were not formally announced, and its exact timing and implementation were not clear. The plan is being seen in the context of Israel's tactic of pressuring Hamas into making concessions in ceasefire negotiations.
According to an Israeli defence official, the plan will not be unfolded until US President Donald Trump wraps up his expected visit to the Middle East this month, allowing for the possibility that Israel might agree to a ceasefire in the meantime.
In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza following a decades-long occupation. Later, it imposed a blockade on the territory along with Egypt.
Israel's attempts to occupy the territory again for an indefinite period would not only further dash hopes for Palestinian statehood, but it would also embed Israel inside a population that is deeply hostile to it and raise questions about how Israel plans to govern the territory, especially at a time when it is considering how to implement Trump's vision to take over Gaza.
After the Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended in mid-March, Israel has unleashed fierce strikes on the territory that have killed hundreds. As per the latest updates, it has captured swaths of territory and now controls roughly 50% of Gaza.
The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel says 59 captives remain in Gaza, although about 35 are believed to be dead.
(With inputs from AP)
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