Israel Divisions over plans for full occupation

An Israeli security cabinet meeting, which had been expected to discuss Benjamin Netanyahu's call for the full occupation of Gaza, has been postponed amid mounting tensions over whether the plan is feasible.

- Peter Beaumont

Amid a stalling of ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, Israeli officials had briefed media that the prime minister was considering an expansive offensive, aimed at taking full control of the Palestinian territory after 22 months of war against the militant group Hamas.

However, senior Israeli military officers and former commanders warned the plan would endanger the lives of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, risk further international isolation of Israel and require soldiers to administer a population in which Hamas fighters were still present.

Any move towards full occupation is likely to be strongly resisted by large parts of the international community, already horrified by the conduct of Israel's military campaign.

Israel's scorched-earth campaign has obliterated large parts of Gaza, killed more than 60,000 people, mostly civilians, forced nearly all of the territory's more than 2 million people from their homes and caused what a global hunger monitor last week called an unfolding famine.

That has caused widespread anger and prompted several European countries to say they would recognise a Palestinian state next month if there was no ceasefire, amid mounting calls for sanctions against Israel.

The disquiet follows briefings to Israeli journalists on Monday saying that Netanyahu had decided the offensive was a foregone conclusion.