The Israeli Security Cabinet, a small ministerial body responsible for national security affairs, approved on Friday morning a plan proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "take control" of Gaza City.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office explained that, under this plan, the Israeli military is preparing to impose control over Gaza City while simultaneously providing humanitarian aid to civilians in areas outside the combat zones.
The statement added that the Security Cabinet voted by majority to approve five principles for ending the war:
1. Disarming Hamas
2. Returning all captives—both living and deceased
3. Disarming the Gaza Strip
4. Establishing Israeli security control over Gaza
5. Creating an alternative civil administration not affiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority
The statement also noted that a large majority of government ministers believed that the alternative plan presented to the cabinet for consideration “would not defeat Hamas and would not bring back the captives,” without providing further details.