Israel's plan to occupy Gaza
Operation Gideon's Chariots will see Israel sending thousands of troops into Gaza later this month to seize control of the strip

Israel's security cabinet this week approved a new plan which, according to one official, entailed "the conquest of the Gaza Strip" and its indefinite occupation.
Under the plan, dubbed "Operation Gideon's Chariots", Israel will send thousands of troops into Gaza later this month. Rather than attacking Hamas targets then retreating – Israel's strategy until now – troops will remain to stop Hamas regrouping. Officials said the population would have to be moved for their "protection"; there has also been talk of "voluntary" removals abroad. "We are finally going to occupy the Gaza Strip," said the far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.
The Israeli cabinet also approved a plan to allow aid into the Strip via Israeli-controlled "distribution hubs". Owing to Israel's blockade, the UN and other agencies have not been able to deliver food, fuel and other aid for over two months.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This plan "marks a turning point in the 19-month-old war", and a shift in Israel's "tactics and philosophy", said The Jerusalem Post. While the previous approach was "effective in degrading Hamas's military capabilities", it "failed to dislodge its civilian rule", or to secure the release of the 59 hostages still in Gaza, 24 of whom are thought to be alive. Ministers and the new chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, are banking on a new aggressive strategy achieving what phase one of the war did not.
It's not without political risk, however: many Israelis will not support this new campaign. Each new offensive makes it harder not to suspect that Prime Minister Netanyahu's true aim is "to ensure Gaza is uninhabitable and drive Palestinians from their land", said the FT. At any rate, the plan is sure to add to the "unfathomable suffering" of Gaza's 2.1 million residents, who will be driven into "ever-narrowing pockets of the shattered Strip". Astonishingly, Israel's allies have barely commented on the proposal. "They should be ashamed of their silence."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Art review: Diane Arbus: Constellation
Feature Park Avenue Armory, New York City, through Aug. 17
-
July fiction: Summers to remember
Feature Featuring the latest summer-themed novels from Darrow Farr, Lucas Schaefer, and more
-
Why are flash floods in Texas so deadly?
Today's Big Question Over 100 people, including 27 girls at a summer camp, died in recent flooding
-
Israel's plan for confining all Palestinians in 'humanitarian city'
The Explainer Defence minister wants to establish zone in Gaza for displaced people – which they would not be allowed to leave – prompting accusations of war crimes
-
The armed clan allied with Israel in Gaza
Under the Radar Self-styled 'Popular Forces' has been denounced by its Bedouin tribe and Hamas for 'collaborating' with Israel
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
Trump says Iran and Israel agreed to ceasefire
Speed Read This followed a night of Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and multiple waves of missiles fired by Iran
-
How developed was Iran's nuclear program and what's left now?
Today's Big Question Israel and the United States have said different things about Iran's capabilities
-
Trump gives himself 2 weeks for Iran decision
Speed Read Trump said he believes negotiations will occur in the near future
-
What would a US strike on Iran mean for the Middle East?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION A precise attack could break Iran's nuclear programme – or pull the US and its allies into a drawn-out war even more damaging than Iraq or Afghanistan
-
US says Trump vetoed Israeli strike on Khamenei
Speed Read This comes as Israel and Iran pushed their conflict into its fourth day