The Israeli security cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to take control of the entire Gaza Strip and expand the operation in the Palestinian enclave. This was reported by state television Kan, citing a statement from the prime minister's office.

The Israeli army will prepare for an operation in Gaza while providing humanitarian aid to "civilians outside combat zones."

According to Kan, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir opposed Netanyahu's plan, citing the potential risk to hostages, the depletion of the armed forces' reserves, and damage to the country's international legitimacy. However, most ministers expressed the view that the alternative plan would not "defeat Hamas or secure the return of the hostages."

Prime Minister's adviser Dmitry Gendelman, for his part, reported on the "five principles for ending the war" adopted by the military-political cabinet. "The cabinet, by a majority vote, adopted five principles for ending the war: disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, both alive and dead, demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control over security in the Gaza Strip, and the formation of an alternative civilian government that is not affiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)," the statement posted on the adviser's Telegram channel said.

During several rounds of negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, the parties to the conflict failed to agree on the terms of a new agreement. | BGNES, AFP