ISRAEL has vowed to seize full control of Gaza City in a bold five-step plan to put an end to the bloody war.

The move is aimed at smashing the last remnants of Hamas’s grip on the war-torn enclave before handing it over to allied Arab forces.

While Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer slammed the decision as “wrong”, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the only plan to real security for Israel was through total military control of Gaza’s remaining territory.

He said his country was “well on our way” to ensuring Gaza “doesn’t pose a threat to Israel again”.

Despite authorising a full military occupation, Netanyahu stressed that Israel does not intend to re-establish long-term rule over Gaza.

Instead, he floated the idea of transferring control to Arab states or or “an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.”

Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday: “We intend to, in order to ensure our security, remove Hamas there, and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel.

“We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”

He added: “We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body.”

The PM said Israel wants to “hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly, without threatening us, and giving the Gazans a good life.”

But Arab states have been cool to the proposal.

A Jordanian official told Reuters that any governance arrangement must be accepted by Palestinians and rooted in “legitimate Palestinian institutions.”

Five pillars for victory

Israel’s cabinet also signed off on five guiding principles to conclude the war — a roadmap that leaves no room for compromise with Hamas.

First and foremost is the disarmament of Hamas.

Israel has made it clear that the terrorist group must be stripped of its weapons entirely – not just weakened, but dismantled – to prevent any future attacks on Israeli civilians and to break Hamas’ military stranglehold on Gaza.

The return of all hostages, both living and dead, is a non-negotiable pillar of the plan.

Israeli leaders have stressed that no resolution will be accepted unless it includes the safe return of every captive held in Gaza.

About 50 hostages are still held in Gaza — with officials estimating only 20 are alive.

Negotiations for their release broke down in July, and with each passing day, pressure builds.

Shocking videos of frail hostages and starving children have fuelled global outrage, even as Israel insists Hamas is hoarding aid to feed its own fighters.

Another central principle is the demilitarisation of the Strip.

Beyond just disarming Hamas, Israel seeks to eliminate all terrorist infrastructure – from weapons factories to underground tunnels – that have turned Gaza into a launchpad for attacks.

The goal is to create a buffer zone of peace, free from rockets, terrorists and threats.

Israel also insists on maintaining security control over Gaza.

While it has no desire to govern the territory, it does intent to ensure that no hostile elements can regroup or rearm.

That means a continued Israeli military presence and oversight, likely through a security perimeter, to prevent Hamas or any similar group from returning.

Finally, the war will only end once an alternative civil administration is in place — one that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

Israel wants to see a neutral, functional governing body installed, ideally backed by moderate Arab states, capable of running day-to-day life in Gaza without posing a threat to Israeli citizens or enabling terror.

This vision aims to create a new future for Gaza’s people — free from the terror, tyranny, and corruption of Hamas rule.

IDF preparing for final push

The military is now preparing to move into the last 25 per cent of the Gaza Strip not under Israeli control.

That includes Gaza City – the symbolic and operational heart of Hamas’s rule.

This marks a potentially decisive moment in a war that began nearly two years ago with Hamas’s brutal October 7 bloodbath on Israeli soil.

Netanyahu’s office confirmed in a statement Friday: “The Security Cabinet has approved the Prime Minister’s proposal for the defeat of Hamas.

“The IDF will prepare for the takeover of Gaza City while ensuring the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones.”

The Israeli military says it already has operational control of 75 per cent of the Gaza Strip, while the United Nations has said around 87 per cent is under Israeli military control or subject to evacuation orders.

Tensions within the ranks

The plan has yet to be formally approved by Israel’s full cabinet, which may not convene until Sunday.

But government officials told Reuters the political-security cabinet had backed Netanyahu’s plan by a wide majority.

They previously rejected an “alternative” proposal that was deemed to weak to achieve either the defeat of Hamas or the return of the hostages.

US ambassador Mike Huckabee insisted it was up to the Israeli government to decide if they want to annex Gaza.

He said he would not “tell them what they should or shouldn’t do”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised Israel’s latest operation, calling it a mistake that would only deepen the conflict.

He said in a statement: “The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately.

“This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.”

Starmer called for a ceasefire and more humanitarian aid, while reiterating that Hamas “can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.”

He added: “Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions.”

The UK PM also emphasised the need for a negotiated solution and a two-state framework — but appeared to pin responsibility on both sides equally.

“Without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid warned Mr Netanyahu’s proposal to take over Gaza would lead to “another war” and “more dead hostages”.

Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reportedly also pushed back against expanding the campaign during tense internal meetings earlier this week.

Hamas, now confined to fragmented areas in the Strip, immediately denounced the new plan as a “blatant coup” against negotiations.

In a statement, the terror group accused Netanyahu of planning to “sacrifice” Israeli hostages to continue his war.

But after nearly two years of warfare and relentless rocket fire from Gaza, Israel’s public appears fed up with delays.

According to multiple reports, a majority of Israelis support a deal that secures the hostages’ release — but many also back total victory.