Netanyahu Has Decided to Annex Gaza, According to Israeli Media
The international fugitive pushes ahead with full control of the Strip despite security warnings.
According to multiple Israeli media outlets today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made the decision to annex the Gaza Strip. This comes after weeks of escalating military operations and signals a definitive move from temporary occupation toward permanent Israeli control.
Reports indicate that Netanyahu communicated his intentions directly to military leadership, stating that full territorial control of Gaza is now the government's policy objective. He reportedly told Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir that if he disagreed with the plan, he should step down.
Security officials have raised concerns about the feasibility and long-term consequences of such a move, warning it could entrench Israel in a costly, open-ended conflict. Despite these warnings, Netanyahu appears determined to press forward.
This decision comes on the heels of last week’s highly controversial ‘symbolic’ vote in the Knesset to annex the West Bank. While largely without immediate legal force, the vote was celebrated by members of Netanyahu’s coalition as a historic milestone and a clear signal of the government’s broader territorial ambitions. Critics saw it as a dangerous escalation and a calculated step toward dismantling any remaining framework for a two-state solution.
In addition to domestic backing from right-wing political allies, reports suggest the move to annex Gaza is enjoying tacit, and in some cases explicit, support from the United States. Washington has not issued a formal endorsement, but senior U.S. officials have reportedly conveyed privately that they will not stand in the way of the plan. This quiet green light mirrors past U.S. responses to controversial Israeli actions, reinforcing Netanyahu’s confidence in moving forward.
The decision still requires Cabinet approval, but sources suggest it will be a formality given the current political makeup of the government. The move is likely to spark widespread international condemnation and further inflame tensions with Palestinians, many of whom see annexation as the death of any remaining hope for a negotiated peace.
Netanyahu's decision marks a turning point in Israel's Gaza policy, shifting from decades of blockade and intermittent military campaigns to a strategy of outright territorial absorption.