The Israeli occupation is preparing for the next phase of the war on Gaza, as the prospect of reaching a “prisoner exchange deal” and a ceasefire appears bleak. According to Israeli media reports, these preparations include plans for settlement expansion and the annexation of northern Gaza.
Last Saturday, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli army is moving towards what it calls the “fourth phase” in Gaza, revealing an Israeli plan to displace the residents of northern Gaza.
According to the newspaper, in this fourth phase, the Israeli army will operate on the ground based on intelligence information, leveraging its presence in the Netzarim and Philadelphia areas as starting points.
The report also mentioned the “Generals’ Plan,” which was devised by a forum of Israeli generals and veterans. This plan, authored by Major General Giora Eiland, the former head of operations in the Israeli army, calls for the displacement of Palestinians from northern Gaza, followed by its siege. It has been presented to the Israeli security cabinet as one of the options for dealing with Gaza in the coming period.
According to the plan, residents will be forcibly displaced from northern Gaza to its central and southern areas through the coastal road, with checkpoints to prevent the movement of militants.
During a week-long ultimatum issued by the Israeli army, the entry of essential supplies like food and fuel into northern Gaza will be prohibited. Residents will be urged to move southward, leaving only the militants behind.
A Plan to Annex Northern Gaza
However, what Haaretz revealed on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, is that Israel’s intention is not limited to carrying out more aggressive attacks on northern Gaza after its evacuation. The area will gradually be prepared for Jewish settlement and eventual annexation to Israel, depending on the level of international opposition that will arise after such steps.
The newspaper noted that the new phase of the war did not begin with a multi-division ground operation or surprise raids but with a bureaucratic announcement on August 28. This included the appointment of Brigadier General Elad Goren as the head of civilian humanitarian aid control in Gaza, under the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
This title, which Goren will hold until the Israeli army creates a shorter designation, is expected to be equivalent to the position of head of the Civil Administration in the West Bank. Haaretz added that Goren could practically be called the “Governor of Gaza,” drawing a parallel to Major General Moshe Goren, who held a similar position during the occupation of Gaza in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Ending the Presence of UNRWA
In the next step, according to the newspaper, Netanyahu instructed the army to prepare for the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza, taking over from international organizations.
However, the Israeli army’s Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, expressed reservations about this, warning that it would pose risks to the soldiers and come at a high cost. Nevertheless, Netanyahu remains firm in his stance.
By controlling the entry of aid, Israel aims to end the presence of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, which the Israeli right views as an anti-Zionist project.
Tightening the Siege on Southern Gaza
On the other side of the Netzarim axis, according to Haaretz, Hamas will likely continue its control over the area between it and the Philadelphia corridor along the Egyptian border. However, this will be met with an Israeli siege, as Netanyahu insists on keeping the Philadelphia corridor under Israeli control.
The report suggests that Netanyahu’s disregard for the Israeli prisoners in Gaza, leaving them to suffer torture and death in Hamas tunnels, coupled with the indifference of the Israeli public, is aimed at turning the tables on Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas’ political bureau.
Netanyahu believes that instead of the prisoners being a valuable asset for Hamas to extract significant concessions from Israel, they will become a burden on the Palestinians and a justification for Israel to continue its war, siege, and occupation. This marks the entry into the next phase of Israel’s war.
“New Gaza City”
On January 28, 2024, a conference was held in Jerusalem attended by ministers from the far-right, calling for the rebuilding of settlements in Gaza.
The organizers set up booths to showcase their plans for settlement expansion in Gaza, displaying maps and images of how Gaza should look after the war, from their perspective.
Israeli extremists also circulated electronic petitions among Israelis to gather names of those “interested in moving to the imagined settlements in Gaza after the war.”
The petition refers to the area as “New Gaza City,” stating that it would be built as the central city in western Negev. It adds that “hundreds of families and young people” have already registered, with the petition urging Israelis to “make history,” as they put it.
