Netanyahu’s Government Considers “The Generals’ Plan” to Strangle Gaza – Here’s What It Entails

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a closed meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, announced that his government is reviewing the so-called Generals’ Plan, according to Israeli media reports.

Netanyahu stated, “This is one of the plans being considered, but there are other plans as well. We are committed to dismantling Hamas’ civilian control.”

He clarified that “a military rule in Gaza is not the objective. It is a means, not an end.”

Netanyahu continued, “We do not want to control the area or annex it. We will not annex Gaza, and I believe the Palestinian Authority has more advantages than disadvantages. The PA should not be in Gaza, but it’s also wrong to work towards its collapse in Judea and Samaria.”

Regarding the escalation with Hezbollah, Netanyahu remarked, “We are focusing on distancing and reducing their capabilities,” but refused to commit to a timeline for the conflict, adding that breaking the connection between Gaza and Lebanon is a priority. He noted that the war “will continue until the objective is achieved, which is the destruction of the rocket-launching platforms.”

Earlier this month, the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz revealed a document adopted by the Generals and Warriors Forum, initiated by retired General Giora Eiland, outlining a plan to eliminate Hamas in Gaza.

The document was submitted to ministers and members of the cabinet, seeking discussion and approval for military orders to be issued for its implementation on the ground, without hesitation, according to the newspaper. The document followed the killing of six prisoners in Rafah and the failure of the Israeli occupation to achieve its war objectives.

The document highlighted that “despite the blows Hamas has received from Israeli military operations, it remains capable of rebuilding itself, recruiting fighters, securing combat supplies, and practically controlling food distribution to the population. It also regains control of any site the army vacates.”

The plan for weakening Hamas includes four key steps: cutting off funds, destroying Hamas’ ability to recruit new members, disrupting supplies, and eliminating incentives for continued fighting and governance.

The document suggests that “as long as Hamas controls humanitarian aid, it will be impossible to eradicate them.”

According to General Eiland, who drafted the document, “All the remaining Gaza residents in the northern area, including Gaza City, around 300,000 people after most of the population has been displaced to the south, will be ordered to evacuate immediately through corridors provided and guarded by the army.”

The document further outlined that “a week after the evacuation orders, a military siege will be imposed, leaving those who remain with no means of survival. Those who stay, considered Hamas members by the document, will be given one choice: surrender or die.”

General Eiland emphasized that “starvation until death will be the ultimate strategy,” noting that the first phase in November 2023 was deemed successful as “Israel allowed only two aid buses to enter the Strip daily.”

The authors of the document argue that Hamas fears nothing more than “an alternative government and an angry populace, due to starvation.”

Eiland, who previously headed the operations department and served as the National Security Council’s chief, assured that the proposal “does not violate international law as it allows residents to leave before the full siege begins.”

General Hezi Nahama, head of the Generals Forum, said, “The plan is a guaranteed recipe for defeating Hamas and eliminating them. It should have been implemented months ago,” referencing Defense Minister Gallant’s experimental project in the Zaytoun neighborhood of Gaza City, which failed six months ago.

The document criticized Defense Minister Gallant and Chief of Staff Halevy for hesitating, stating, “Anyone who cannot execute this plan is betraying their role and cannot lead the army and the state to victory over Hamas.”

Haaretz also commented that the Generals’ Plan exerts significant pressure on the government, specifically on the security-political cabinet (the cabinet), appearing to align with Netanyahu’s vision entirely, granting him credibility in his efforts to dismiss senior army and Shin Bet leaders, along with the defense minister.

The army’s reservations stem from Gallant’s earlier experimental project six months ago in Gaza’s Zaytoun neighborhood, which proposed reoccupying part of the area and returning some displaced residents to northern Gaza. This hesitation arose from fears of international legal repercussions against military leaders by the International Criminal Court.

Following Netanyahu’s September 2nd press conference, which marked a peak in his popular support since the war began, Netanyahu ordered the army leadership to take responsibility for distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza, bypassing the authority of the defense minister.