"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the population of Gaza will be displaced to the south after his security cabinet approved an expanded military operation in the enclave that a minister described as a plan to “conquer” the territory.
The vote on Sunday came hours after the military said it would mobilize tens of thousands of reservists, strengthening its capacity to operate in the besieged Palestinian territory.
“One thing will be clear: there will be no in-and-out,” Netanyahu said in a Monday video message posted on X. “We’ll call up reserves to come, hold territory — we’re not going to enter and then exit the area, only to carry out raids afterward. That’s not the plan. The intention is the opposite.”
The plan would be implemented after US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East next week to “provide a window of opportunity” for a hostage deal, the official added
"The plan then, is to displace Gaza’s entire population to the south of the enclave, following which the total the blockade of humanitarian aid may be lifted, the official said, adding that the military “will remain in every area it captures.”"
edition.cnn.com/2025/05/05/middleeast/israel-gaza-expansion-hnk-intl
David49
“It has consistently funded Hamas, for various reasons, firstly because it was the democratically elected leadership of the Gaza peoples”
Hamas was democratically elected then murdered the opposition, became a dictatorship and diverted much of the aid to build up arms to attack Israel, Qatar is not stupid they knew exactly what Hamas was planning.
Israel isn't stupid either, so presumably also knew what Hamas was planning.
Israel would have no way of knowing exactly what hamas were planning so stop with all the victim blaming.
David49 is absolutely right about having to have a decisive end to hamas and Gaza.If it isn’t done now it will just roll on for years.
Hamas deserve all they get.
The people in Gaza did deserve a good government but were badly served by the one they got.
Quote growstuff Wed 14-May-25 08:32:14
David49
“It has consistently funded Hamas, for various reasons, firstly because it was the democratically elected leadership of the Gaza peoples”
Hamas was democratically elected then murdered the opposition, became a dictatorship and diverted much of the aid to build up arms to attack Israel, Qatar is not stupid they knew exactly what Hamas was planning.
Israel isn't stupid either, so presumably also knew what Hamas was planning.
How would Israel know ?
foxie48
Qatar is now offering to fund Trump via a $4 million plane that he'd keep when he leaves office. I wonder what that's buying the Qataris? There won't be any decisions made for moral reasons while Trump is president and he'll change relationships in a moment if he sees a profit. Will he continue to back Israel with billions of dollars of weapons if he's taking handouts from Qatar? He's signed a deal with the Saudis which includes a massive arms deal. He's making friends with Iran, has removed sanctions from Syria. Who knows which Middle Eastern country will hold power in the future. Trump's challenging the balance of power that's been the norm and he'll see Gaza as a minor irritation and possibly Israel as a drain unless he can get an empty building plot. My guess is he'll let Israel completely flatten Gaza whilst he looks the other way.
I listened to a podcast yesterday on The Story, Times newspaper series which I generally find well balanced. It was about settler violence on the West Bank and the people who made the Oscar winning documentary 'No other country " Worth a listen and just 30 mins of your time.
It’s £400m and it’s considered insulting to reject a gift, converting to to AF1 will make good use of it, like other aircraft they are updated continuously. A 747 is not much use as a personal plane it’s just too big and costly to run, even for an Oil Sheik.
There are 2 presidential planes both 40 yrs old, 2 new planes are on order from Boeing due in 3 or 4 yrs, one is likely to get cancelled and the Qatar plane converted.
It's also considered illegal for Potus to accept gifts from other nations. It's obvious why.
Call it a gift if you want to "David" but presidents accepting "gifts" of such a value will recognise it for what it is ie a bribe! The agument about what Trump already has or doesn't have is a completely spurious argument. He doesn't have Greenland, Canada or Gaza, I'm sure he can make a very good argument as to why he needs them but that doesn't mean he should be given them!
This plane is for Trump not the USA. Trump wants to convert it to the official plane, but he is being told he can’t.
Gifts given on visits are generally of low value and often pretty useless simply because they cannot be seen as a bribe.
Although saying that our RF has had some pretty spectacular gifts from the Middle East over the years😊
Quote Whitewavemark2 Wed 14-May-25 09:03:03
This plane is for Trump not the USA. Trump wants to convert it to the official plane, but he is being told he can’t.
Really, who told him he can’t? He isn’t in total control then
I’ve no idea - CNN report.
I agree Oreo that Israel would have no way of knowing exactly what Hamas were planning but they ignored intel that there was an increase in and unusual activity on the border.
Whitewavemark2 Wed 14-May-25 09:13:48
I’ve no idea - CNN report.
Thank you, so not fact
Given the way Gaza is guarded by Israel any unusual activity, which was reported by the female spotters should surely have been looked into and not ignored.
. My question would still be why did it take so many hours before there was any response from the police/ army to what woukd have been a multitude of phone calls for help from victims and others from dawn onwards. The Israelis eventually arrived at lunch time.
I can’t find a link re the allegations of Israeli army deliberately withholding help for all that time , any links would be newspapers !
Meanwhile Trump continues his travels to get further trade deals, he's headed to both Qatar and the UAE, which has already committed to investing $1.4tn in the US over the next decade.
He has lifted sanctions on Syria, I dont know what he outcome of that will be.
Trump wanted Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, which is a group that tries to normalise the relationships between Israel and Gulf States.
However it refuses - Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman has made it clear that will not happen until there is a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a clear path to Palestinian statehood.
So we wait - no news of action by Netanyahu or news of any relief for Gazan citizens.
CNN speculates that Trump is now only interested when there are "deliverables", some sort of "victory:
edition.cnn.com/2025/05/12/middleeast/israel-trump-middle-east-intl
Going back to Syria, this is an interesting development re Trump lifting sanctions.
So why?
Is is because the Saudis have always wanted sanctions lifted? They’ve just done a massive deal with USA.
Trump is it seems moving the balance of power.
The Saudis, Qatar and others must feel very happy at the moment.
Iran is no longer a threat to Saudi.
Smileless2012
I agree Oreo that Israel would have no way of knowing exactly what Hamas were planning but they ignored intel that there was an increase in and unusual activity on the border.
There would have been many reports of “suspicious activity” for many years in Gaza, all of which came to nothing, it was quiet until the attack took place.
It is estimated the 3000 Hamas fighters took part in the attack, in addition a barrage of over 4000 rockets were launched as a distraction into Israel, there would have been a considerable amount of chaos. It was a very well planned and executed attack by Hamas, the Palestinians paid the price when Israel struck back.
Anniebach
Quote growstuff Wed 14-May-25 08:32:14
David49
“It has consistently funded Hamas, for various reasons, firstly because it was the democratically elected leadership of the Gaza peoples”
Hamas was democratically elected then murdered the opposition, became a dictatorship and diverted much of the aid to build up arms to attack Israel, Qatar is not stupid they knew exactly what Hamas was planning.
Israel isn't stupid either, so presumably also knew what Hamas was planning.
How would Israel know ?
Mossad.
Some Tories now coming out against Israel.
The idea of refusing the tried and tested aid convoy by the UN is being stopped and instead the Israelis say they will pick it up by delivering 1\10th of the daily need.
A recipe for disaster, which I think that people are beginning to understand.
Mossad
Hamas had long since disposed of anyone who they remotely suspected of being an Israeli agent, there was no internal intelligence at all
Mossad told the BBC and the press ?
It is concerning silverlining that reports about an increase in activity were ignored and that the response was so slow.
So because there had been many reports of 'suspicious activity' for many years David which came to nothing, was that justification for complacency on this occasion?
No one from what I've seen has suggested that the Israeli army deliberately withheld help Annie, it's the slowness of their response that's being questioned.
It's my first time posting on this thread, but any people who are not sufficiently moved by photographs of emaciated babies to allow aid in, I find very difficult to understand.
This starving infant is not launching any rockets.
Cannot find statements from Mossad , did find this
The report says the army has a decades-long “fundamental misunderstanding” of Hamas, leading senior officers to underestimate the group's capabilities and intentions. Military planners had assumed Hamas posed no significant threat to Israel and that it was uninterested in a large-scale war, according to investigators.
This discussion thread has reached a 1000 message limit, and so cannot accept new messages.
Start a new discussion
Get our top conversations, latest advice, fantastic competitions, and more, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
