The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced early Friday morning that the security cabinet approved a proposal to control Gaza City as part of a broader plan to occupy the entire Gaza Strip. The office added that the army is preparing to take control of the city while providing what it calls humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat areas.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported that the cabinet's approval to occupy Gaza came despite warnings from Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who was the most opposed to the plan. Zamir confirmed during the cabinet session that there is no humanitarian solution for relocating a million people and that the operation will be complicated.

In a related context, Channel 12 reported that the Ministers of Finance and National Security, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, voted against some provisions of the decision, including the continuation of humanitarian aid distribution. Meanwhile, Netanyahu confirmed in an interview with American 'Fox News' that he has no intention of retaining the strip.

In the meantime, NBC News reported that American officials stated that satellite images show Israel is amassing its forces for a potential ground invasion of Gaza, indicating an imminent major ground operation. Palestinian resistance factions have vowed to impose heavy costs if the plan to fully occupy the strip is implemented.