The "Control of Gaza" plan: Netanyahu's paper for creating a fabricated victory.

In the early hours of August 8, 2025, the Israeli security cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to impose control over the city of Gaza, as part of a broader plan to occupy the entire Gaza Strip. Despite the military's reservations about the potential risks to the lives of prisoners and soldiers, the plan is moving forward.

The initial stages of the plan include issuing warnings to residents of the targeted areas to move south, followed by the imposition of a security cordon around the city, and then conducting incursions into neighborhoods and camps. A report from the Israeli Broadcasting Authority indicated that the approval of this plan means the Israeli army will begin military operations in new areas within the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu's plan includes five main objectives, including the elimination of Hamas and ensuring the release of all hostages. The plan also aims to disarm the Gaza Strip and impose Israeli security control, in addition to establishing an alternative civilian administration that is not subject to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.

In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu stated that the Israeli government has decided to 'completely occupy the Gaza Strip,' but does not intend to 'govern it or remain in it.' He emphasized that the primary tasks include eliminating Hamas, releasing hostages, and ensuring that Gaza does not become a source of threat.

The military plan focuses on implementing a gradual operation that begins with complete control over the city of Gaza, with the estimated population of one million being moved to the south of the Strip. This step is followed by operations to encircle the city, and then an incursion into residential areas with the aim of taking control of Hamas camps.

Netanyahu's plan has faced a wave of international and local criticism, with the Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations describing the plan as 'a step in the wrong direction.' The United Nations also warned of 'catastrophic consequences' of any further military expansion, noting that 87% of the Gaza Strip is now under Israeli military control.

Internally, the plan has sparked sharp disagreements within the Israeli security cabinet, with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir describing the plan as a 'strategic trap' that endangers the lives of soldiers and prisoners. The 'cabinet' session witnessed intense confrontations between Zamir and several ministers, reflecting the internal division on this issue.