NETANYAHU INTENDS TO EXPAND GAZA OPERATION AS TRUMP PLANS VISIT TO REGION

JERUSALEM - Israeli officials have confirmed that security forces are preparing for an intensified military campaign in Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet approving plans for an expanded offensive against Hamas on Monday.

In a video statement posted on social media platform X, Netanyahu described the upcoming operation as "intensive" and aimed at defeating Hamas, though he avoided specifying exactly how much territory Israel intends to seize.

"Population will be moved, for its own protection," Netanyahu stated. He emphasized that Israeli forces would not conduct temporary raids followed by withdrawal, saying, "The intention is the opposite of that."

According to defense officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, the operation—codenamed "Gideon Chariots"—would not commence until after U.S. President Donald Trump concludes his planned visit to the Middle East next week.

A government spokesman clarified during an online briefing that while reserve soldiers are being mobilized to expand military operations in Gaza, the goal is not occupation. However, one senior government official contradicted this statement, indicating that the newly approved offensive would ultimately involve seizing the entire territory of the Gaza Strip and relocating its civilian population southward.

Israel's public broadcaster Kan, citing officials familiar with the plans, reported that the new operation would be implemented gradually over several months, with forces initially focusing on specific areas of the enclave.

Israeli troops have already established control over approximately one-third of the Gaza Strip, displacing residents and constructing watchtowers and surveillance posts in areas the military has designated as security zones. The defense official confirmed that Israel intends to maintain these security perimeters, describing them as "vital for protecting Israeli communities around the enclave."

The official also revealed that humanitarian aid distribution—currently managed by international aid organizations and UN agencies—would be transferred to private companies and concentrated in the southern Rafah area once the offensive begins. This shift in aid management comes amid growing international concern about humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

Israel resumed military operations in March following the collapse of a U.S.-backed ceasefire that had temporarily halted fighting for two months. Since then, it has imposed severe restrictions on aid entering the territory, prompting warnings from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations that Gaza's 2.3 million residents face imminent famine.

Despite the preparations for escalation, the defense official noted there remains a "window of opportunity" for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement during Trump's upcoming regional visit.

"If there is no hostage deal, Operation 'Gideon Chariots' will begin with great intensity and will not stop until all its goals are achieved," the official stated.

Hamas representative Mahmoud Mardawi rejected what he characterized as "pressure and blackmail," insisting that the group would only accept "a comprehensive deal, which includes a complete ceasefire, full withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, and the release of all prisoners from both sides."

The Israeli military has declined to comment on statements made by government officials regarding the planned offensive.