Israel’s Plan to Control Gaza City Sparks Global Condemnation and Humanitarian Fears

On Friday, August 8, 2025, Israel’s security cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to take military control of Gaza City, a move aimed at defeating Hamas but drawing sharp international criticism and warnings of worsened humanitarian crises and risks to hostages, per Sky News and BBC News. The plan, which includes establishing a “security perimeter” and an alternative civil administration excluding Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, is seen as the first phase of a broader takeover of Gaza, despite Israel’s 2005 withdrawal, as Netanyahu stated on Fox News on August 7, 2025. The Israeli military, controlling 75% of Gaza, will distribute humanitarian aid outside combat zones, but critics argue this will exacerbate displacement and suffering in a territory where 2 million Palestinians face famine risks, with 99 malnutrition deaths reported in 2025 by the WHO.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the escalation “wrong,” warning it will deepen bloodshed and hinder hostage releases, urging a two-state solution, while UN High Commissioner Volker Türk labeled it a violation of the ICJ’s ruling against occupation, demanding an immediate halt. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid denounced it as a “disaster,” citing risks to the 49 remaining hostages (20 believed alive) and potential soldier casualties, accusing far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Smotrich of pushing Netanyahu’s agenda. Hamas condemned the plan as sacrificing hostages for Netanyahu’s “extremist agenda,” while Palestinian voices like Maysa al-Shanti and Amjad Al-Shawa decried ongoing displacement and aid restrictions, with only 70–80 trucks entering daily against a needed 600, per UN estimates. X posts from @AP (August 7, 2025) and @Osint613 (July 28, 2025) reflect fears of famine and annexation, with IDF airdrops (126 packages on August 1) deemed insufficient. The plan, opposed by Israel’s military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir for straining resources, risks plunging Gaza into deeper crisis, with 61,258 Palestinian deaths reported since October 2023, per Gaza’s health ministry.