Israel's plan for Gaza

ISRAEL has approved plans to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials have said.

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The move, if implemented, would vastly expand Israel's operations in the Palestinian territory and probably bring fierce international opposition. Israeli cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote yesterday, hours after the Israeli military chief said the country’s army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, also would push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, and probably exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.