Tel aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Sunday that his army will occupy Gaza City 'fairly quickly,' alleging that he wants a 'civil administration' in the Palestinian enclave. 'The timeline that we set for the action is fairly quickly,' Netanyahu told a press conference when asked about his plan for the occupation of Gaza City.

According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu stated that Israel has already secured control over approximately 70 to 75% of Gaza, with two major strongholds remaining: Gaza City and the central camps in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza. The Security Cabinet's approval of the plan to fully occupy Gaza City has sparked sharp international backlash from governments and human rights organizations.

Netanyahu claims that the primary objectives of the plan include disarming Hamas, freeing Israeli hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control, and establishing a non-Israeli civil administration. He outlined the plan for a buffer zone on Gaza's border with Israel and mentioned that the proposed administration would be managed by third parties, excluding both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Israel has kept all Gaza crossings closed since March 2, allowing minimal aid to enter, which falls significantly short of what is needed to prevent famine. The World Food Program has reported that one-third of Gaza's population has endured several days without food, and the UN estimates that hundreds of aid trucks must enter daily to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation.

The military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 61,400 individuals since October 2023, drawing increasing international condemnation. Last month, Israeli rights groups B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the collapse of the healthcare system.

Furthermore, in November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice concerning its military actions in the enclave.