By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Israel’s security cabinet has approved a controversial new plan aimed at asserting control over Gaza City — a move that could trigger even further escalation in the ongoing conflict.
The Thursday night announcement drew swift global backlash.
Israel intends to tighten its grip on Gaza after a vote by the Israeli security cabinet to move into Gaza City.
Critics say it’s another step toward deepening a humanitarian catastrophe in the strip — which is already reeling from hunger, destruction and near-total isolation.
For families of hostages still trapped inside Gaza, the plan feels like a step further from hope, not closer. World leaders from across the globe are condemning Israel’s move as calls for a permanent ceasefire grow louder.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres weighed in on social media Friday.
“I’m gravely alarmed by the decision of the Israeli government to ‘take control of Gaza City.’ This marks a dangerous escalation & risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians. It could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages,” the post read.
“Number one, we want to make it so that Hamas cannot attack innocent Israeli civilians ever again. And we think that has to come through the eradication of Hamas,” said Vice President JD Vance while abroad to meet with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Friday. “Second, the president has been very moved by these terrible images of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, so we want to make sure that we solve that problem. Obviously, it’s not an easy problem to solve or it would have already been dealt with. But we share, I think, that focus and that goal. We may have some disagreements about how exactly to accomplish that goal, and we’ll talk about that today.”
Amid severe famine warnings and reports of deadly violence at aid sites, the international community is pleading for unimpeded humanitarian access.
“We’ve been in constant negotiations and conversations even the last 24 hours about how to get more aid into Gaza, about how to solve that humanitarian problem,” said Vance.
“We are there now trying to get people fed. As you know, $60 million was given by the United States fairly recently to supply food,” said President Trump on Wednesday. “And I know Israel is going to help us with that in terms of distribution and also money. We also have the Arab states that are going to help us with that in terms of the money and possibly distribution.”
The situation remains fluid, and the stakes high — for Israeli security, for Palestinian civilians and for the hostages still caught in the crossfire.
