Israel said early Friday that it plans to take over Gaza City, drawing rejection from the Palestinians and international condemnation. The decision, agreed in a late-night meeting of its security Cabinet, marks a further escalation of Israel's 22-month war with Hamas. It also provoked worries in Israel over the fate of hostages still held by Hamas.
Another major ground operation would almost certainly exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe, in which Israel's air and ground war has pushed the territory toward famine. Hamas said people in Gaza would "remain defiant against occupation."
Here’s the latest:
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said his country considers a plan by Israel to take over Gaza City “a risky step.”
Lipavský said the Czechs believe that Israel will take all necessary steps to protect the civilian population and will act in line with international law while the release of all hostages and a lasting ceasefire remain priorities.
He said the only way of reaching a long-term peace is a two-state solution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“The condition for that to happen is that Gaza will not be ruled by the terrorists from Hamas, which is a position shared by Czechia, Israel and a number of Arab countries in the region," Lipavský said in comments to the state-owned CTK news agency.
The Czech Republic has been one of Israel's biggest allies in the EU.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned what it referred to as Israel’s “starvation, brutal practices and ethnic cleansing” against the Palestinians.
It said Palestinians have an “emotional, historical and legal connection to their land” and lamented the failure of the international community to halt the fighting.
Saudi Arabia, a major Arab power, appeared to be close to forging diplomatic ties with Israel as part of a larger agreement with the United States before Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war.
The kingdom has repeatedly criticized Israel’s wartime conduct and says it will only normalize ties in an agreement that includes major progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, something Israel’s current government and most of its political class rejects.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the Israeli Cabinet’s plan to take control of Gaza City, calling it a “dangerous escalation” that will worsen the humanitarian crisis and derail peace prospects.
In a statement on X, he attributed the ongoing conflict to Israel’s “prolonged, illegal occupation of Palestinian territory,” stating that peace is impossible as long as the occupation continues. Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s support for a sovereign Palestinian state and urged the international community to take action against Israel’s latest plan.
Germany's move to suspend defense exports to Israel will be a limited measure, according to Zain Hussain, an arms transfers researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
German companies provide 30% of Israel’s defense imports, mostly naval armaments, according to Hussain's analysis. “Germany has been committed to providing Israel with arms, especially with ships," he said, citing Germany’s deep support for Israel and enmeshed defense ties.
Currently Germany provides some hardware to Israel, such as small warships and tank engines. Those engines can be fitted to Israel’s Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers, which are actively deployed in Gaza.
German-made Sa’ar corvettes, small warships festooned with sophisticated radar equipment and cannons, have shelled targets in Gaza during the war, Hussain said. Since 2018 Germany has rapidly increased its share of the Israeli arms market, mostly with naval hardware like corvettes and torpedoes.
Hussain said it was “a big deal” for Germany, one of Israel's staunchest allies, to admit it was uncomfortable with Israel's actions in Gaza.
“However, I don’t think this alone will stop Israel’s operations in Gaza, and Israel still has the U.S.A. as a committed arms supplier,” he cautioned.
Mediators from Egypt and Qatar are working on a new framework which will include the release of all hostages — dead and alive — in one go in return for an end of the war in Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the strip, according to two Arab officials who spoke to The Associated Press anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions. One is involved directly in the deliberations and the second was briefed on the efforts.
The efforts have the backing of major Arab Gulf monarchies, the officials said, as they are concerned about further regional destabilization if Israel’s government proceeds with a full reoccupation of Gaza, two decades after Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the strip.
The yet-to-be finalized framework aims to address the contentious issue of what to do with Hamas’ weapons, with Israel seeking full disarmament and Hamas refusing. The official directly involved in the efforts said discussions are underway about “freezing arms,” which may involve Hamas retaining but not using its weapons. It also calls for the group to relinquish power in the strip.
A Palestinian-Arab committee would run Gaza and oversee the reconstruction efforts until the establishment of a Palestinian administration with a new police force, trained by two U.S. allies in the Middle East, to take over the strip, he said. It is unclear what role the Western-backed Palestinian Authority would play.
The second official said that a powerful Gulf country is supporting the Egyptian-Qatari efforts.
A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief the media, said the group’s leadership has been aware of the Arab mediators’ efforts to revive the ceasefire talks, but has yet to receive details.
AP reached out to the governments in Qatar, Egypt and Israel for comment. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told hostage families during his recent visit that Israel was shifting its approach to pursue a comprehensive “all-or-nothing” deal aimed at ending the war and securing the release of hostages, a person who attended the meeting told the AP, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to speak about the private meeting.
— By Samy Magdy in Cairo and Sam Metz in Jerusalem
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz says his country will not authorize any exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza "until further notice."
Germany has been a stalwart supporter of Israel for decades.
In a statement, Merz emphasized that Israel “has the right to defend itself against Hamas’ terror” and said that the release of Israeli hostages and “purposeful” negotiations toward a ceasefire in the 22-month conflict “are our top priority.” He said Hamas must not have a role in the future of Gaza.
“The even harsher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, approved by the Israeli Cabinet last night, makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will be achieved,” he added.
Israel's plan to escalate military operations in Gaza drew international condemnation Friday.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Israel to reconsider, saying the expanded offensive would do nothing to end the conflict or secure the release of the remaining hostages.
“Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction,” Starmer said.
Spain’s Foreign Minister José Albares said Israel's plan would “only lead to more destruction and suffering.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the escalation marked a new phase of Israel's “expansionist” policies in the region.
“Israel must immediately halt its war plans, accept a ceasefire in Gaza, and begin negotiations toward a two-state solution,” it said in a statement on Friday.
Australia also condemned a further occupation of Gaza. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said a two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace: a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally recognized borders.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
