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"There are no means of survival, no signs of life. The situation is bad. The basic necessities for life don’t exist—we’re going from bad to worse. We pray to God Almighty that this decision won’t be implemented, and that we move toward a ceasefire, so that peace and safety can prevail in this country."
This is Palestinian man Ismail Al Shawish, responding to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statement that he plans for Israel to take military control of the entire Gaza Strip.
Mr Netanyahu made his intention for a complete takeover of the coastal territory clear in an interview on Fox News, shortly before a meeting with senior ministers to discuss the expansion of Israel's offensive in Gaza.
"We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza, and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel. That's what we want to do."
The Israeli cabinet has released a statement detailing the approved plans for the IDF to occupy Gaza City in a majority vote, and what say are the principles for ending the war.
These principles include: the disarmament of Hamas, the return of all hostages, both living and dead, the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip, and the existence of an alternative civilian government that is not Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Netanyahu said Israel's plan is to hand the Gaza Strip over to Arab forces to govern, but he did not elaborate on which countries could be involved.
"Well, we don't want to keep it. 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. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving the Gazans a good life. That's not possible with Hamas."
Total control of the territory would reverse a 2005 decision by Israel which prompted the withdrawal of Israeli citizens and soldiers from Gaza, while Israel retained control over its borders, airspace and utilities.
The cabinet's approval of Netanyahu's plan marks a significant escalation in the conflict.
Farhan Haq is rhe spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
He says the UN firmly opposes an expanded Israeli military operation.
"We have already made clear the fact that the occupation of the occupied territories cannot and must not continue. It is not accepted under international law. Regarding the comments, we'll have to see what actions the government takes, and we will respond accordingly. But we have already make clear our concerns that any expansion of the conflict will be catastrophic."
The Israeli military says it currently controls about 75 per cent of Gaza.
Most of Gaza's population of about 2 million people has been displaced multiple times over the past 22 months, and aid groups are warning residents are on the verge of famine.
Displaced Palestinian man Mahmoud Al- Qarashli says people are exhausted and afraid.
"Netanyahu’s decision to occupy Gaza—it’s like there’s nothing left to occupy in the first place...Practically all of Gaza has been squeezed into the western part of Gaza City, and that’s all that’s left. Just that—west Gaza City."
Mr Netanyahu's stated plans for a complete military takeover of Gaza also sparked vocal opposition in Israel with thousands of protesters taking to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to demand a ceasefire deal.
Ellen Rosenthal is among hundreds of demonstrators who gathered outside the Prime Minister's office where Cabinet ministers were meeting.
"Right now in the government building to my left is the office of the Prime Minister of Israel. The cabinet is meeting in order to approve the expansion of the war in Gaza. We don't want to see that. We want our people out of Gaza, we want our hostages out, we want our soldiers out."
Anat Angrest is the mother of one of 50 people being held hostage by Hamas, 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.
She joined other family members of Israeli hostages to protest against the escalation.
"You failed, my Matan is still there, instead of doing the one thing that this government hasn’t done — putting a comprehensive deal on the table — to put a comprehensive deal on the table that will bring all 50 of them home together."
The approved plans for an expanded Israeli military operation comes as widespread malnutrition and hunger related deaths continue to rise in the Gaza Strip.
Between June and July, the number of hospital admissions for malnutrition almost doubled - from more than 6,000 to nearly 12,000, according to the latest available UNICEF figures.
The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is calling for the immediate, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid via all possible routes.
"Malnutrition is widespread and hunger related deaths are rising. In July, nearly 12,000 children under five years were identified as suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest monthly figure ever recorded. So far this year, 99 people have died from malnutrition, including 29 children under five. These reported numbers are likely underestimates."
The Israeli cabinet's decision comes as the Palestinian death toll continues to climb, with health authorities reporting 100 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the last 24 hours alone.
More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in the last 22 months, following the October 7 attack in Israel by Hamas in 2023, which resulted in the death of 1,200 people, and 251 people being taken hostage.
