The Israeli occupation has taken yet another step toward intensifying its genocidal campaign in Gaza, with Defense Minister Israel Katz approving a military plan to invade and occupy Gaza City, Palestinian media and activists warned Wednesday.

The operation, ominously dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots B,” builds on the earlier “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” a May 2025 ground offensive aimed at expanding Israel’s control over the Gaza Strip and forcibly displacing Palestinians from northern Gaza.

According to Hebrew media outlets, Katz’s plan includes issuing reserve call-up orders to execute the attack, though the exact number of troops remains undisclosed. However, Israel’s Channel 12 revealed that emergency draft orders, known as “Order 8,” have already been activated, with tens of thousands of reservist soldiers expected to be mobilized in the coming days. On Tuesday, Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, detailed the operation’s phases, which prioritize reinforcing Israeli military presence in northern Gaza, signaling a further entrenchment of occupation in the besieged enclave.

The announcement has provoked a fierce backlash from Palestinians, who view the plan as a continuation of Israel’s aggressive campaign to uproot and displace Gaza’s population. “This is a fully-fledged crime against our people,” said Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, describing the occupation plan as a direct assault on Palestinian sovereignty and existence. In Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of residents, including those already displaced from areas like Jabalia and Beit Hanoun, face renewed threats of forced relocation, residents expressed despair. “We’ve been squeezed into smaller and smaller spaces, with nowhere left to go,” said Mahmoud al-Qurashli, a Gaza City resident, to Reuters. “This is not just occupation; it’s ethnic cleansing.”

Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group, condemned the plan as a “new war crime,” warning that Israel’s “criminal adventure” would meet fierce resistance. The group accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of abandoning the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza, prioritizing territorial control over their safety. “Netanyahu is sacrificing the captives to serve his extremist agenda,” a Hamas statement read, highlighting the plan’s potential to doom ceasefire negotiations.

International outrage has been swift and unequivocal. The United Nations’ human rights chief, Volker Türk, labeled the planned occupation “deeply alarming,” warning that it risks “more massive forced displacement, more killing, [and] more unbearable suffering.” Türk stressed that such actions violate international law, echoing sentiments from the UN Security Council, where all members except the US and Panama called for an emergency meeting to address the crisis. The UN Human Rights Office has previously condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as tantamount to ethnic cleansing, a charge that resonates with Palestinians who fear a repeat of the 1948 Nakba, when hundreds of thousands were forcibly displaced from their homes.

Several world leaders have also denounced the plan. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Israel’s escalation “wrong,” warning it would “only bring more bloodshed.” Germany, a key arms supplier to Israel, suspended military exports that could be used in Gaza, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz stating that the plan’s humanitarian impact is “increasingly difficult to justify.” Turkey’s foreign ministry accused Israel of aiming to “forcibly displace Palestinians from their own land,” while Amnesty International warned that the operation could constitute crimes against humanity if it involves systematic civilian displacement.

Within Israel, the plan has sparked significant opposition, particularly from families of hostages still held in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum described the operation as leading to a “colossal catastrophe” for both hostages and Israeli soldiers, demanding assurances that “Gideon’s Chariots B” will not endanger their loved ones. Protests erupted outside Katz’s home and Netanyahu’s office, with demonstrators accusing the government of prioritizing territorial ambitions over human lives.

The operation comes amid Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis, with the territory on the brink of famine, according to UN-backed experts. Israel’s tight blockade has restricted food, fuel, and medical supplies, exacerbating mass deprivation. The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the US, has been criticized for its chaotic aid distribution, with reports of deadly shootings near aid sites. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) called for the program’s termination, citing systemic violence against civilians.

As Gaza City braces for further devastation, Palestinians and their supporters worldwide are calling for urgent international intervention to halt Israel’s plans. “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people,” said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, reaffirming the enclave’s status as an inseparable part of Palestinian territory. With the death toll in Gaza already exceeding 61,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry, the international community faces mounting pressure to act before the situation deteriorates further. (ILKHA)