FAR-RIGHT PUSHES FOR OCCUPATION
Some members of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition continue to advocate for a full occupation and the re-establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday (August 6) expressed hope that the cabinet would approve a complete military takeover.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military would execute any decision made by the government until its objectives are achieved.
The Israeli military says it now controls about 75 per cent of Gaza. Israeli leaders have long insisted that Hamas must be disarmed and excluded from any future role in the territory.
DISPLACEMENT AND HUMANITARIAN CRISIS
Gaza’s humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. Aid agencies warn that famine is looming, and most of the enclave’s two million residents have been displaced multiple times.
“Where should we go? We have been displaced and humiliated enough,” said Aya Mohammad, a 30-year-old resident of Gaza City. “Your dignity is wiped out. You become a homeless beggar, searching for food, water and medicine.”
Israel has accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid to its fighters or selling it in markets to fund operations. Hamas denies the claims and says it is open to ceasefire talks if humanitarian aid increases.
More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military offensive, according to the Gaza health ministry. In the last 24 hours, 98 more deaths were reported.
The war began after Hamas fighters launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
