United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed that he is “gravely alarmed by the decision of the Israeli Government to ‘take control of Gaza City.’”
He described this move as “a dangerous escalation” that risks worsening the already catastrophic situation for millions of Palestinians, potentially endangering more lives, including those of the remaining hostages.
Guterres emphasized that Palestinians in Gaza are enduring “a humanitarian catastrophe of horrific proportions.” He warned that “this further escalation will cause additional forced displacement, killings, and widespread destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The Secretary-General reiterated his urgent call for “a permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.”
He also strongly urged the Government of Israel to comply with its obligations under international law. He recalled the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion dated 19 July 2024, which stated, among other points, that Israel must “immediately cease all new settlement activities, evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and end its unlawful presence in these territories—including Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem—as swiftly as possible.”
Guterres stressed, “There can be no sustainable resolution to this conflict without ending the unlawful occupation and achieving a viable two-State solution. Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a Palestinian State.”
In a related development, Israel’s security cabinet on Friday approved a plan from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy Gaza City, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, reported by The Times of Israel.
The statement said Israel will provide humanitarian aid to civilians outside combat zones, in line with the cabinet’s decision to support Netanyahu’s “proposal to defeat Hamas.”
The Israeli cabinet approved five key principles to guide the conflict’s resolution:
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Disarmament of Hamas
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Return of all 50 remaining hostages, of whom 20 are believed to be alive
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Demilitarization of the Gaza Strip
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Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip
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Establishment of an alternative civilian government, neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority
An overwhelming majority of ministers concluded that an alternative plan presented to the security cabinet would not have secured Hamas’ defeat or ensured the hostages’ return, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Though the statement did not detail the alternative plan, it likely refers to one proposed by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who opposed occupying the Gaza Strip due to concerns about a humanitarian disaster and risks to hostages.
It remains unclear why the statement mentioned only Gaza City and not the entire Gaza Strip, which Netanyahu had declared as his plan, according to The Times of Israel.
Gaza City is part of the 25 percent of the Strip that the IDF has not yet taken control of, along with several refugee camps in central Gaza.
It is also uncertain whether those other unconquered areas outside Gaza City will be included in the security cabinet’s authorized plan.
