Global outrage as Israel approves Gaza City occupation plan

Saturday 09 August 2025 - 08:21

By: Dakir Madiha

Global outrage as Israel approves Gaza City occupation plan

Israel’s decision to occupy Gaza City has drawn widespread condemnation, with international leaders warning that the move will escalate violence, deepen the humanitarian crisis, and undermine prospects for peace.

Israel’s plan and objectives

The Israeli security cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plan to seize military control of Gaza City. Netanyahu’s office announced Friday that Israeli forces intend to “prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones.”

The plan outlines five key goals: disarming Hamas, recovering captives, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control, and establishing a new civil administration that is independent of both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

The proposal has sparked domestic dissent. Opposition leader Yair Lapid sharply criticized the plan, calling it “a disaster that will lead to many more disasters.”

International condemnation

Global reactions to the announcement have been overwhelmingly critical.

China expressed “serious concern” and urged Israel to halt its actions, emphasizing that Gaza is part of Palestinian territory and belongs to its people.

Hamas denounced the decision as a “war crime,” accusing Israel of using the term “control” to evade legal accountability for the harm inflicted on civilians.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an immediate halt to the plan, stating that it violates international law and contradicts the International Court of Justice’s ruling to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry condemned the decision and urged the UN Security Council to intervene, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the move as “wrong” and warned it would lead to further bloodshed. Similarly, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard both cautioned that the plan jeopardizes any chances of a ceasefire.

Humanitarian crisis deepens

Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies, pushing the territory into a dire humanitarian crisis. Many Palestinians are dying of malnutrition and starvation, while airstrikes and clashes continue to claim lives.

On Thursday, two people were killed at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid distribution site, as reported by Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, far-right Israeli protesters obstructed aid trucks at the Allenby Bridge for hours, further delaying critical supplies.

As calls for de-escalation grow, international leaders and human rights advocates fear that the occupation plan will exacerbate Gaza’s suffering and set back efforts to achieve peace.