Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that "all residents of Gaza will be evacuated to the south of the Morag axis (in the southern Gaza Strip), an area where only humanitarian aid will be distributed. A people seeking life is occupying its own country."

Smotrich's remarks came after the Israeli cabinet approved an expansion of the military operation in the Gaza Strip last night.

He added, "The cabinet's decision is that after the maneuver begins, there will be no withdrawal from the occupied territories, nor in exchange for a deal for the kidnapped soldiers. The only way to free the kidnapped soldiers is to defeat Hamas."

According to Smotrich, who calls for occupying the Gaza Strip and building settlements there, "We are occupying Gaza in order to remain. There will be no more entry or exit. This is a war for victory, and it is time to stop fearing the word 'occupation.'"

In the same context, Israeli media published more information this morning, Monday, about the decisions of the political-security cabinet that was held last night, citing a "political source in the Prime Minister's Office." It is clear from them that the Israeli military plans do not include anything new and speak of occupying the already occupied Gaza Strip and continuing to starve the people of Gaza, under the pretext of exerting military pressure on Hamas to agree to a prisoner exchange on Israeli terms, which Israel has failed to achieve over the 19 months since the beginning of the war until today.

According to a "political source," the military plans unanimously approved by the cabinet last night and presented by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir aim to "defeat Hamas in Gaza and return the kidnapped soldiers, and are fully consistent with the Prime Minister's (Benjamin Netanyahu's) statements in recent months."

He added that the cabinet approved by a large majority "the possibility of distributing humanitarian aid, if needed, to prevent Hamas from controlling supplies and destroying its governing capabilities," and that cabinet ministers were told that at this stage there is enough food in Gaza, contrary to reports from all international aid organizations operating in the Strip.

The Israeli political source continued that the military plan includes "occupying and controlling the Gaza Strip, displacing the Gazan population southward in order to deprive Hamas of its ability to distribute humanitarian supplies, and conducting severe attacks against Hamas. These operations will help defeat it."