Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly considering the implementation of a strategic initiative known as the “Generals’ Plan,” which aims to impose a blockade on northern Gaza and cut off humanitarian aid in an effort to starve Hamas militants. The goal is to clear the area and establish a new government.
Throughout the year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israel has repeatedly issued evacuation notices for northern Gaza, with the most recent notice coming on the 13th.
According to public meeting records, a group of retired generals and high-ranking officials in Israel presented this “Generals’ Plan” to the Knesset and Netanyahu in September. The plan calls for Gazans to evacuate one-third of northern Gaza within a week, after which the area would be designated a military blockade zone. Those who remain would be classified as militants, allowing the military to conduct lethal actions against them while denying access to food, water, medicine, and fuel.
The initiative seeks to establish indefinite Israeli control over the northern region with the intent of creating a new government in the absence of Hamas, effectively splitting the Gaza Strip in two.
A knowledgeable source has indicated that parts of this plan are already being implemented, though specifics have not been disclosed.
Giora Eiland, the chief architect of the plan and a former Israeli national security adviser, stated, “They must either surrender or starve. This doesn’t necessarily mean killing everyone. That’s unnecessary. The north will be uninhabitable; the water will run dry.”
Eiland believes this operation could pressure Hamas into releasing approximately 100 hostages.
Human rights organizations have expressed concern that this plan could lead to famine among civilians and violate international law, which prohibits the use of food as a weapon and forced evacuations.
So far, few Palestinians have heeded the latest evacuation orders. Many are elderly, sick, or fearful of leaving their homes, while others worry there is nowhere safe to go and that they may never be allowed to return. Israel has previously blocked civilians who fled at the onset of the war from returning.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated that Washington opposes any plans for Israel to directly occupy Gaza.
Additionally, Lebanese health officials and state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the predominantly Christian northern Lebanese region on the 14th, which, according to the Lebanese Red Cross, resulted in 18 fatalities. This area is far removed from Hezbollah’s stronghold.
The Central News Agency cited reports from AFP, with the Lebanese Red Cross stating, “18 people died in the airstrike in Aito, and four were injured.” Aito is a village located within Zgharta District, which has a Christian majority.
Earlier reports from the Lebanese Health Ministry indicated that an Israeli airstrike had killed nine people in the area, while Lebanese state media, National News Agency, reported that the focus was on a residential apartment in Aito.
Israel’s attacks in Lebanon have predominantly targeted areas with large Shia Muslim populations, where Hezbollah has established a foothold.
Hezbollah has threatened that if Israel continues its offensive in Lebanon, it will retaliate with further attacks against Israel.
On the 13th, the Pentagon announced plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Israel, along with U.S. military personnel for operations. A senior U.S. official indicated that it would take at least a week for the staff and equipment to be fully in place in Israel.
