Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly presented a plan to Israel’s security cabinet to begin annexing parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas does not quickly accept a ceasefire agreement, Israeli media report. The phased annexation proposal appears to be a bid to appease far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has threatened to resign from the coalition if Gaza aid increases and a ceasefire proceeds moves opposed by his Religious Zionism faction. Israel would grant Hamas a brief window to accept terms; refusal would trigger gradual annexation, beginning in designated buffer zones and expanding northward over time.
The initiative aligns with persistent demands from far-right ministers including Smotrich who have advocated full Israeli sovereignty over Gaza and proposals for relocating Palestinian residents to other countries, raising sharp concerns among international observers and legal experts about potential human rights violations and shifts toward de facto annexation. Reports suggest the plan has secured tacit support from the Trump administration, further emboldening Netanyahu’s approach.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the plan includes continued coordination with international agencies and Western governments to channel humanitarian aid into Gaza. Still, critics warn the maneuver is aimed at balancing coalition politics and messaging rather than addressing the dire needs of Gaza’s population. The move follows Israel’s July 25 withdrawal from ceasefire talks led by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, with both Israeli and U.S. delegations citing Hamas’s unwillingness to compromise on troop withdrawals and governance in Gaza.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic, with the UN and aid agencies reporting mass starvation, critical shortages of food and medical supplies, and more than 60,000 deaths since hostilities resumed in October 2023. Analysts say the proposed annexation strategy risks deepening the crisis while eroding prospects for a two-state solution .
