Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will lead a top security cabinet comprising members of the coalition on Thursday evening in high-level meetings aimed at deciding on the future of possible continued Palestinian Gaza Strip military operations. Israeli media also put the start time of the meeting at around 6:00 pm local time (8:30 pm IST) as the talks could prove critical in determining the next stage of Israel on its ongoing conflict.
Israeli outlets have reported that Netanyahu has been mulling over sending troops into all of Gaza, an action that would be the first in-depth reoccupation since Israel pulled troops and its settler population out of the area in 2005. Should the decision actually happen, the move could make a dramatic spike in the already ongoing war that broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas unleashed a deadly cross-border attack that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and held 251 hostages.
The imminent meeting is in a period of international indignation due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. Famine has been forecasted by the UN agencies, and aid distribution centres have been attacked on several occasions. There are over 61,000 Palestinians who have been reported killed through Israeli air and ground strikes, and the international community has been canvassing for restraint and de-escalation.
What is likely to widen the area of combat activities is that on Wednesday, the Israeli military gave new evacuation notices to parts of both northern Gaza City and southern Khan Yunis. This may force the ground Israeli forces to enter the remaining 25 per cent of Gaza, which has not been fully destroyed, already providing refuge to most of the displaced population of over two million Gaza people.
Although Netanyahu seems to be on the brink of a complete reentry of Israeli military forces into Gaza, there are also some reports of opposition within the military itself.
Join our whatsapp group for Latest updates
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News