Israel has voted to capture all of Gaza and occupy the territory indefinitely as part of a plan to expand military operations there vastly. Cabinet ministers approved the plan early Monday morning, hours after Israel’s military chief said the army would call up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. It calls for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move to southern Gaza, likely leading to their forced displacement and aggravating the severe humanitarian crisis that‘s already taking place in the enclave. 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. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on the plan. One official said the effort would unfold gradually so officials could try to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage-return deal. 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.
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