IDF Gaza Plans: Resume Siege, Military Occupation or Annexation

Pro-genocide Israeli ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich demanded the IDF command develop alternative plans for Gaza in the next phase of the war. Haaretz reports:

Far-right ministers pressured the IDF to present a plan to conquer and destroy Gaza City, home to 1.2 million people. The army chief said the operation would take months and require extending active service or a large reserve call-up. Sources said Netanyahu did not rule out the plan.

This indicates that Netanyahu has ceded much of his control over military and political affairs to his cabinet’s pro-genocide ministers.  He must at the very least treat their every demand, no matter how murderous, with utmost seriousness.

The army devised three such proposals:

• Resumption of a full siege shutting off water, food, medicine, humanitarian
• Military occupation
• Annexation

Kan reports:

The defense establishment is considering several alternatives: annexation of territories, imposition of a military government, and another extreme step that is currently being considered – imposing a “siege” on the Palestinian population centers in the Gaza Strip…

The question of maneuvering in areas where detainees may be held…was also raised… The Chief of Staff said the IDF has reached a point where the goals of the war have been achieved, and therefore if the political echelon decides otherwise – it must say so explicitly as guidance.

In other words, the army command is telling the civilian echelon that it has achieved all its military objectives.  But if the ministers want it to go further, which will likely involve killing the hostages, it will have to offer an explicit directive. Many of these killings at the hands of the IDF have elicited anger, especially from hostage families,  He intends to both cover his ass and make the government take responsibility for killing hostages.  The army chief added: “the government would need to declare that rescuing hostages is no longer a primary objective of the war.”  This would force Netanyahu to abandon one of his mendacious talking points: that Israel can both destroy Hamas while also freeing all the hostages.

It continues to astound me that many, if not most Israelis are prepared to see their own army kill their own citizens.  This is the Hannibal Directive, approving the murder of Israeli soldiers and civilians threatened with capture (or held captive).  Hundreds of such killings by Israeli forces happened on 10/7. And there have been numerous killings of hostages by them during fighting in Gaza.

This story about IDF war plans has not been reported by foreign media (outside Israel). Another example of journalists dropping the ball when it comes to reporting Israeli genocide.  In the current climate of US fascism and suppression of press freedom, this is no surprise.  This testifies the importance of independent journalists and outlets (like this one), which are so critical in documenting these crimes against humanity. Such reporting may not stop the genocide and hold the perpetrators accountable, but at least it will be a human witness to the horrors we have inflicted on our fellow human beings.

While most of these IDF options have been mentioned in the past, none except the first were implemented.  Occupation would mean permanent military presence and essentially running Gaza, providing whatever services are needed to rule the enclave.  Though given the current genocide, it’s doubtful the army would provide anything to the surviving residents.  Annexation would impose Israeli sovereignty over Gaza. In turn, this would enable Israel to pursue any objectives it wished there, including expelling its current residents.  This third option would accompany the Israeli plan to annex the West Bank. The latter has been approved by the Knesset and awaits final approval by Netanyahu.

It’s unclear whether and how much opposition any of these options would elicit for the world community. Until now, there have been little more than whimpers from Security Council members and EU states.  The only change has been as a result of broadcasting images of Palestinian children with their spinal bones protruding from their backs.  This seems to have gotten them off their asses to express their disgust. That, and a demand from Pres. Trump to stop the media images by shipping a few boxes of aid for the starving multitudes.

That in turn has led to the current lull in the famine conditions with Israel and its Arab collaborators, Jordan and Abu Dhabi, air dropping a few tons of humanitarian aid on the heads of Gazans.  It has also permitted 70 trucks of humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, 15% of pre-10/7 shipments. Israel said it was opening the gates “for the foreseeable future.”  This is not credible given its past behavior.  In fact, 50 Palestinians were murdered by the IDF today at one of food distribution points, while children continue dying of starvation.  Nonetheless, Israel will slam shut the gates as soon as the world’s attention shifts elsewhere.  It awaits this over the coming days or perhaps a week or two. Then the horror resumes.