Israel’s security cabinet has approved a proposal from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take over Gaza City, expanding military operations in the 22-month war with Hamas despite warnings from the Israel Defense Forces that the move could endanger remaining hostages and worsen the humanitarian crisis.

The decision, announced early Friday by Netanyahu’s office, limits the operation to Gaza City rather than the full Gaza Strip. Netanyahu told Fox News hours earlier that his intention remained to take control of all Gaza. Israel already controls about three-quarters of the territory. 

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that roughly one million civilians in Gaza City will be given until October 7, 2025, to evacuate to the south before a siege and ground offensive aimed at killing remaining Hamas operatives begins. The date coincides with the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

The plan calls for a gradual military buildup, with no start date set, an official familiar with the discussions told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Once Gaza City is under Israeli control, the IDF would proceed to the remaining unconquered areas. The statement from Netanyahu’s office described the goal as “defeating Hamas” and said humanitarian aid would be provided to civilians outside combat zones. 

The cabinet also endorsed five conditions for ending the war, including Hamas’s disarmament, the return of all 50 remaining hostages, Gaza’s demilitarization, continued Israeli security control, and installation of a non-Hamas, non-Palestinian Authority civilian government.

The move has drawn international concern. Germany announced it would suspend exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza, a decision Netanyahu called “disappointing.” Britain and other European allies urged Israel to reconsider.

Mediators from Egypt and Qatar are reportedly working on a proposal for the release of all hostages, both dead and alive, in exchange for an end to the war and a withdrawal of Israeli forces.

U.S. officials told the Associated Press and Reuters that Israeli troop movements and equipment buildups near the Gaza border appear consistent with preparations for a major ground operation. 

Separately, NBC News reported that commercial satellite imagery showed a significant buildup of armored vehicles, artillery, and troop formations positioned in staging areas. Four U.S. officials familiar with the images told NBC the movements matched patterns typically seen ahead of large-scale ground operations, though they cautioned that no timetable for an assault had been confirmed. 

Netanyahu has repeatedly said Israel does not plan to permanently govern Gaza but intends to maintain a “security perimeter” and hand over control to friendly Arab forces after Hamas’s removal. The cabinet statement avoided using the term “occupation,” reportedly for legal reasons, though an unnamed senior Israeli official told Ynet the distinction from full military rule was superficial.