By outdoor-nature-child.com Israeli soldiers have been stationed at the entrance to northern Gaza since May. According to a report by the Associated Press, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering the implementation of the “Generals’ Plan,” which would involve blocking humanitarian aid to northern Gaza with the aim of starving Hamas militants and clearing the area to establish a new government.
Throughout the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, Israel has repeatedly issued evacuation notices for northern Gaza, with the latest being on the 13th of this month.
Public meeting records indicate that a group of retired generals and high-ranking officials presented the “Generals’ Plan” to the Knesset and Netanyahu in September. This plan calls for one-third of the northern Gaza population to evacuate within a week, after which the area would be designated as a military blockaded zone. Those who remain would be treated as militants, allowing the military to kill them and withhold food, water, medicine, and fuel.
The plan seeks to enable Israel to maintain indefinite control over the north as it attempts to establish a new government without Hamas, effectively splitting the Gaza Strip in two.
An informed source revealed that the Israeli government is already partially implementing aspects of the plan, although specifics were not disclosed.
Giora Eiland, the main architect of the plan and a former Israeli national security advisor, stated, “They will either surrender or starve. This doesn’t necessarily mean killing everyone. It’s not needed. The north will not be habitable; the water will run dry.”
Eiland believes this effort could potentially force Hamas to release around 100 hostages.
However, human rights organizations warn that this plan could lead to mass starvation among civilians and is likely a violation of international law, which prohibits the use of food as a weapon and forced evacuations.
So far, few Palestinians have responded to the latest evacuation order. Many are elderly, sick, or afraid to leave their homes, while others worry about a lack of safe havens and the possibility of never being able to return. Israel has also prevented civilians displaced in the early stages of the conflict from returning.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated that Washington opposes any plans for direct Israeli occupation of Gaza.
In a separate development, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health and official media reported that Israel launched an airstrike on the predominantly Christian region of northern Lebanon on the 14th, resulting in 18 deaths, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. This area is far from Hezbollah’s stronghold.
The Central News Agency, citing Agence France-Presse, quoted the Lebanese Red Cross as stating, “18 people died and 4 were injured in the strikes in Aito,” a village within the Christian-majority Zgharta district.
Earlier, Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that an Israeli airstrike killed nine individuals in the region. Additionally, Lebanese state media reported that the Israeli attack targeted a residential apartment in Aito.
To date, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have primarily focused on areas with significant Shia Muslim populations, where Hezbollah has established its power base.
Hezbollah has threatened to launch more retaliatory strikes against Israel if the offensive in Lebanon continues.
On the 13th, the Pentagon announced plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system along with U.S. military personnel to Israel. A senior U.S. official indicated that it would take at least a week for the batteries and personnel to be operational in Israel.