The News
Israel’s security cabinet unanimously approved a plan to seize territory in the Gaza Strip Sunday, setting the stage for what would be a huge military operation to expand Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territory for an indeterminate period.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was “on the eve of a forceful entry to Gaza,” recommending an “intensive” escalation in the war.
One Israeli defense official said there is a “window of opportunity” to possibly avert such an escalation if a new hostage deal can be agreed while US President Donald Trump visits the Middle East in mid-May.
SIGNALS
Intensifying conflict in Gaza could appease Netanyahu’s far-right allies
Escalating the conflict could help Benjamin Netanyahu keep his coalition together: The government’s far-right elements have repeatedly threatened to upend it if there is a ceasefire in Gaza before Hamas is eliminated. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stressed that Israel should not retreat from occupied territories, even in exchange for hostages. But the military operation in Gaza has also faced growing criticism. “What is the goal? Why are they calling up reservists? Extending regular service and all without defining a goal — that’s not how you win a war,” opposition leader Yair Lapid said, while an organization representing hostages’ families said expanding operations in Gaza would put “every hostage at grave risk.”
Trump has given Netanyahu more room to maneuver
Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East next week, as well as the US defense secretary’s travel to Israel, could provide an opportunity for Washington to reengage on Gaza, which has fallen down the list of priorities in recent weeks. So far, Trump has given Israel increased room to maneuver, allowing Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to be more assertive at home and ramp up his campaign in Gaza, The New York Times reported. “The President has made clear the consequences Hamas will face if it continues to hold hostages,” US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement to Semafor Monday when asked about Israel’s plan. A slim majority of Republicans believe that Trump should push Israel to end the war in Gaza, a recent poll found.
Israel plans to further restrict aid in Gaza
Israel has blocked all deliveries of humanitarian supplies into Gaza since early March, and is now planning to implement a system to take control of aid distribution in a move that international organizations have warned is untenable. The plan would see roughly 60 trucks carrying food and household items enter Gaza each day — about 10% of what was allowed to enter the Strip during an earlier two-month ceasefire — that would be sent to distribution hubs in southern Gaza, The Washington Post reported. “It’s a joke,” the head of one aid group working in the war-torn territory told the outlet. Aid workers fear that having limited food and goods available at just a few locations could lead to heightened security risks, as desperate crowds gather outside the hubs, The Times of Israel reported.