Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed his intention to launch an operation for the total occupation of Gaza , a significant escalation of the conflict that began in October 2023 and has already left at least 60,000 dead in the Palestinian enclave. The decision, not yet ratified by the security cabinet, sparked strong tensions within the government, the armed forces, and sectors of Israeli society, in addition to rekindling international criticism of the genocidal nature of the offensive and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
According to Israeli and international media reports, Netanyahu informed his inner circle that the decision for a new offensive had already been made and that the only way to definitively defeat Hamas was to take full control of the entire Gaza Strip , including areas where Israeli hostages may still be held. As one senior official close to Netanyahu said: “The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip – and defeating Hamas.”
However, the key security cabinet meeting, scheduled for this week, was postponed after internal resistance to the plan emerged. In particular, the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, reportedly expressed concern about the impact of the operation on the hostages and the exhaustion of the troops after more than a year of fighting. According to the Middle East Monitor, Netanyahu even threatened Zamir with dismissal if he does not comply with the order.
The plan has the support of the most ultranationalist and religious sectors of the governing coalition, such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has previously called for completely shutting down access to food, water, and medicine to Gaza. On the other hand, figures such as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other members of Netanyahu’s Likud party remain wary, fearing a loss of international legitimacy and long-term strategic consequences.
Opposition leaders such as Yair Lapid and former general Yair Golan accuse the prime minister of prioritizing his political survival over Israel’s security and the well-being of civilians and hostages.
The Gaza Strip faces a critical humanitarian situation. More than 60,000 people have died since the start of the Israeli offensive, including tens of thousands of women and children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. This is compounded by a devastating food crisis , with at least 188 confirmed deaths from starvation , in a context where access to humanitarian aid is strictly controlled or directly blocked by Israel.
Organizations such as the UN, the World Food Program, and NGOs such as Doctors Without Borders have denounced the Zionist state of Israel’s use of starvation as a method of warfare, a practice that violates international humanitarian law. The Norwegian Refugee Council and the International Committee of the Red Cross have described the conditions in Gaza as “inhumane and deliberately designed to break the civilian population.” Meanwhile, Irish President Michael D. Higgins on Monday called on the UN to use chapter seven powers, including military intervention, to end the famine in Gaza.
Beyond external criticism, voices against the offensive are also growing in Israel. Former army and intelligence chiefs, such as Ehud Barak and Tamir Pardo, warned that a prolonged occupation of Gaza could result in a war of attrition that would be impossible to sustain, both politically and morally.
Israeli human rights groups, such as B’Tselem and Breaking the Silence, denounce the government as leading the country into a spiral of violence and international isolation. “There is no victory possible when the price is the total destruction of a civilian population,” a former official with the Shin Bet, the Israeli domestic intelligence service, recently wrote in Haaretz .
Netanyahu’s judicial context adds another layer of complexity. In 2024, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of hunger as a weapon. Added to this is his corruption trial within Israel, which has sparked multiple protests and growing social pressure.
Recently, the government approved a controversial reform that dismissed Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara , who was overseeing the legal case against the prime minister. The measure was interpreted by analysts and the media as part of a maneuver to shield Netanyahu legally and politically, relying on the most radical sectors of his coalition.
For Israeli and international analysts, the all-out offensive on Gaza cannot be separated from the prime minister’s personal and political interests. Under legal pressure, with a divided coalition and polls showing strong popular rejection, Netanyahu appears to be banking on a resounding military victory as the only way to maintain his power.
But as humanitarian warnings, internal divisions, and global outrage mount, the price of that gamble grows ever higher — for both Israel and the people of Gaza.
Originally published in Spanish on La Izquierda Diaro on August 5
Translated and edited by James Dennis Hoff.
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