Jerusalem, LOGIC.co.id – The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved a new plan to expand its ground military operation against Hamas throughout the entire Gaza Strip. The goal, according to an Israeli official on Monday (May 5), is to seize full territorial control of Gaza and maintain a long-term presence.
Citing reports from Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, the offensive will be carried out in phases and is expected to take several months. The initial focus will target one of the areas most affected by earlier assaults.
Security Cabinet Minister Zeev Elkin noted that there is still a chance for a ceasefire agreement and hostage release before U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to the Middle East next week.
“There is still a window of opportunity before President Trump completes his visit. If Hamas understands our seriousness, a deal is still possible,” Elkin told Kan.
Israel currently controls around one-third of Gaza. After a U.S.-brokered ceasefire collapsed in March, Israeli forces resumed their ground offensive and enforced a full blockade on incoming humanitarian aid.
Elkin explained that the new strategy no longer involves temporary incursions. Instead, Israeli troops will remain in captured areas until Hamas is either defeated or agrees to disarm and withdraw from Gaza—an option the militant group has firmly rejected.
To date, Israel has not outlined a clear vision for post-war Gaza, even as global criticism grows over the humanitarian toll. The conflict has displaced large portions of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, and aid supplies are dwindling due to the ongoing blockade.
Israeli officials say the new offensive strategy aims to push Gaza’s civilian population further south while ensuring humanitarian aid does not fall into Hamas’ hands. However, the full blockade remains in place.
On Sunday, the United Nations rejected Israel’s proposed aid distribution hubs. On Monday, Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), claimed that Israel has instructed the UN and other aid groups to shut down their own delivery systems in Gaza.
“They want to manipulate and militarize humanitarian aid, forcing us to adopt military-controlled distribution routes,” Egeland wrote on platform X (formerly Twitter). “The NRC refuses to accept this scheme in order to uphold humanitarian principles.”
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated that the military has begun issuing tens of thousands of reserve call-up orders to expand operations in Gaza. He also warned ministers that aid must be delivered urgently.
The war began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack that killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel—mostly civilians—and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza, marking the deadliest day in Israel’s history.
Since then, Israel’s land and air campaign has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to local health authorities. Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble.
Out of the 59 hostages reportedly still held by Hamas, only 24 are believed to be alive. Families of hostages fear that the intensifying combat may jeopardize their loved ones' lives. Observers also warn that Israel risks becoming mired in a prolonged guerrilla war, with no clear post-war strategy in place.
Recent polls show declining public support in Israel for the ongoing war. Many citizens now favor a ceasefire agreement that would facilitate the release of hostages.
Hamas maintains that it will only release hostages under a comprehensive agreement that ends the war and compels Israeli forces to fully withdraw from Gaza.