Israel pounds Gaza city as controversial occupation nears

Israel’s military pounded Gaza City on Wednesday with another 123 people killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas.

The assault comes as the Israeli government prepares for a major military operation to seize the city — part of the Gaza occupation plan which critics warn could endanger hostages, displace more than a million residents and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The planned offensive, led by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who opposes the move, follows months of debate within Israel’s security cabinet and has drawn international concern over its potential scale, civilian impact and legal implications. Here are the latest developments.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is expected to present Prime Minister Netanyahu with a new plan for seizing Gaza City, after earlier, more cautious proposals were rejected. According to Haaretz, some members of the security cabinet want an operation as devastating as the one that levelled nearby Beit Hanoun.

The takeover would involve operating in a city now holding about 1.2 million people, including 500,000 displaced from other parts of Gaza. The IDF anticipates facing small, well-prepared Hamas guerrilla units, led by the group’s last senior commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad. Zamir’s plan calls for the evacuation of the entire civilian population within 7–10 days via Salah al-Din Road to a crowded humanitarian zone in Muwasi, forcing people into just a quarter of the Strip. Artillery may be used to push residents to leave, though many are expected to remain in damaged buildings.

Haaretz reports the plan has yet to receive legal approval. The Military Advocate General has warned that occupying the Strip would require Israel, under international law, to provide food, medical care, sanitation and safety for civilians. The operation would likely require calling up 100,000 reservists, beyond the current annual limit, and a year-long effort to dismantle Hamas infrastructure.

Gaza City is already heavily damaged: 70–80% of buildings have been destroyed or severely harmed, with whole neighbourhoods — including Rimal, Tel al-Hawa, Zeitoun, Shujaiyeh, Daraj and Tuffah — reduced to rubble. Historic landmarks such as the Great Omari Mosque and Hamam al-Samara have also been damaged. In areas not entirely flattened, open spaces have become sprawling tent encampments, leaving many residents uncertain where they could go next.

Despite Zamir's efforts to avoid a major operation, the plan will make huge demands on the IDF with 100,000 reservists expected to be called up, exceeding the security cabinet's limit for this year.

Australia and 23 other nations have urged Israel to allow urgent humanitarian aid into Gaza, warning the crisis has reached “unimaginable levels”.

In a joint statement signed by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and allies including Britain, Canada, France, Japan and the EU, the countries condemned the politicisation of aid and called for immediate action to halt and reverse starvation in the Palestinian enclave. They demanded Israel authorise all NGO shipments, unblock humanitarian workers, open all crossings, and ensure the safety of civilians, aid workers and medics. Some EU states, including Germany and Hungary, did not sign.

“We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected,” the statement read.

Israel is under fire after killing 28-year-old Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif in a strike on Gaza City on Sunday night. Al-Sharif, who was sheltering in a tent near Al-Shifa Hospital with four other Al Jazeera journalists, was among at least two people killed. The Qatari-owned network condemned the attack as an “assassination” aimed at silencing coverage ahead of Israel’s planned takeover of Gaza City.

In a post on X announcing the strike, the Israeli military repeated its October 2024 claim that al-Sharif was a “Hamas terrorist” posing as an Al Jazeera journalist. “Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and advanced rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the IDF said. “Intelligence and documents from Gaza, including rosters, terrorist training lists and salary records, prove he was a Hamas operative integrated into Al Jazeera. A press badge isn’t a shield for terrorism.”

The killings drew condemnation from world leaders and rights groups. Britain’s Prime Minister’s office expressed “grave concern”, stressing that journalists are protected under international humanitarian law. The UN human rights office called the strike a “grave breach” and demanded safe, unhindered access to Gaza for reporters.

The war in Gaza has become the deadliest on record for journalists, with at least 186 killed, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In an interview on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated an idea — also promoted by US President Donald Trump — that Palestinians should simply leave. “They’re not being pushed out, they’ll be allowed to exit,” he told Israeli television channel i24NEWS. “All those who are concerned for the Palestinians and say they want to help the Palestinians should open their gates and stop lecturing us.”

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported that Israel had approached South Sudan to discuss the possible relocation of Gazans, though it is unclear how advanced any talks might be. Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined to confirm the claim, while South Sudan’s government “firmly refuted” the reports, calling them baseless and inconsistent with its policies.

The idea of resettling Gazans abroad has been floated by Netanyahu and other Israeli officials since late 2023, echoing a 2020 plan by Trump to promote “voluntary immigration” to third countries — a proposal widely rejected by Palestinians, Arab nations, and potential host states such as Jordan and Egypt. Reports over the past year suggest Netanyahu explored options with countries in Africa and Asia, with Mossad officials also discussing the idea with US envoys. While visiting South Sudan this week, Israeli Knesset member Sharren Haskel met with President Salva Kiir and other senior officials to discuss cooperation in health, education, technology and agriculture — but not, according to both governments, the relocation plan. Israel and South Sudan have maintained diplomatic ties since 2011, collaborating on development projects despite lacking embassies in each other’s capitals.

Leading Israeli universities, more than 20 municipalities and numerous businesses have voiced support for a nationwide strike on Sunday 17 August, called by families of hostages held in Gaza to protest the government’s plan to seize Gaza City. While institutions will allow staff to join demonstrations, most have stopped short of declaring an official strike. Critics, including Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, warn that an assault on Gaza City could endanger hostages, displace up to one million residents and worsen the humanitarian crisis, while the army is already overstretched.

Participants in the strike include Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, the Technion, Ben Gurion University and The Open University, along with mayors from major cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheba and Ashdod. High-tech firms like Meta Israel, Wix and Papaya Global, the Israeli Bar Association, and medical associations will also take part. However, Israel’s largest labour union, the Histadrut, has declined to join. Its chairman, Arnon Ben-David, said the strike could be perceived as a political move and chose not to endorse it.

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Guerrilla fighters, densely packed buildings and 1.2 million residents: what awaits Israeli soldiers in Gaza City takeover (Haaretz)

Israel’s march of folly in Gaza: Leadership failures endanger war goals (Michael Milshtein, Ynetnews)

As Trump tacitly backs Gaza City offensive, Netanyahu–army rift widens (Ben Caspit, Al-Monitor)

Netanyahu defends Gaza City takeover as UN warns of ‘calamity’ and international condemnation grows (CNN)

Don't be fooled again: Netanyahu is planning a full-blown occupation of Gaza (Dahlia Scheindlin, Haaretz)