Protests erupt across Israel against Gaza expansion plan

Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets across Israel to oppose the government’s newly approved plan to expand its military operations in Gaza, warning it endangers the lives of hostages and risks deepening the humanitarian crisis, reports BBC. The protests erupted after Israel’s security cabinet on Friday endorsed five principles for ending the war, including “taking security control” of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military has since said it would “prepare for taking control” of Gaza City. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the plan, insisting it would “help free our

Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets across Israel to oppose the government’s newly approved plan to expand its military operations in Gaza, warning it endangers the lives of hostages and risks deepening the humanitarian crisis, reports BBC. The protests erupted after Israel’s security cabinet on Friday endorsed five principles for ending the war, including “taking security control” of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military has since said it would “prepare for taking control” of Gaza City. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the plan, insisting it would “help free our hostages.” Among the protesters were family members of some 50 hostages still held in Gaza — 20 of whom are believed to be alive. A group representing the families posted on X: “Expanding the fighting endangers the hostages and the soldiers — the people of Israel are not willing to risk them!” Shakha, a demonstrator in Jerusalem, told the BBC: “We want the war to end because our hostages are dying there. Whatever it takes, we need to do it. If it needs to stop the war, we’ll stop the war.” Some participants, including former combat soldier Max Kresch, announced they were refusing to serve. “We’re over 350 soldiers who served during the war and we’re refusing to continue to serve in Netanyahu’s political war that endangers the hostages and starves innocent Palestinians in Gaza,” Kresch told the BBC. The Times of Israel reported that protesters in Tel Aviv near the Israel Defense Forces headquarters urged other soldiers to refuse service in the expanded campaign. One hostage’s mother called for a nationwide general strike, though Israel’s main labour union declined to support it. Israeli media reported that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Netanyahu that a full occupation of Gaza would be “tantamount to walking into a trap” and could imperil the hostages. Opinion polls suggest most Israelis prefer negotiating a deal with Hamas to free the hostages and end the war. Netanyahu, however, told Fox News earlier in the week that Israel intends to control the entire Gaza Strip before handing it over to Arab forces to govern. On Friday he wrote on X: “We are not going to occupy Gaza — we are going to free Gaza from Hamas… This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future.” The cabinet’s five principles include disarming Hamas, returning all hostages, demilitarising Gaza, taking security control, and creating “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.” A top UN official has warned that an Israeli takeover of Gaza City — home to up to one million people — could have “catastrophic consequences” for civilians and hostages. The UK, France, Canada, and other countries have condemned the plan, while Germany has suspended military exports to Israel. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss the proposal. International agencies have also renewed calls for Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, where food shortages are worsening. The Hamas-run health ministry reported on Sunday that five people, including two children, died in the past 24 hours from malnutrition, bringing the war’s hunger-related death toll to 217 — including 100 children. UN-backed food security experts warned in July that “the worst case scenario of famine is already playing out.” Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza and blames Hamas for the humanitarian crisis. In flashback, Israel launched its military offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, more than 61,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The BBC and other foreign outlets are barred by Israel from independently reporting inside Gaza.