Israel Enters First Stage of Planned Assault on Gaza City as West Bank Settlement Expansion Approved

Israel Enters First Stage of Planned Assault on Gaza City as West Bank Settlement Expansion Approved

Jerusalem — Israel has launched the first stage of what officials described as a planned assault on Gaza City, intensifying military operations in the enclave even as it simultaneously approved a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank that critics say could extinguish prospects for a future Palestinian state.

The dual moves, announced Wednesday, underscore Israel’s deepening strategy of military escalation alongside territorial entrenchment, further complicating already fragile diplomatic efforts to broker calm.

Gaza City Assault Begins

Israeli defense officials confirmed that troops have advanced toward key northern districts of Gaza City, backed by airstrikes and artillery fire aimed at Hamas strongholds. The military described the push as the “first stage” of a wider plan to dismantle militant infrastructure.

Residents reported heavy bombardments overnight, with Palestinian health officials saying dozens were killed in strikes across Gaza City. “We are trapped in our homes, not knowing if we will survive the next hour,” said Mahmoud Al-Khalidi, a Gaza resident reached by phone.

Israel’s government has framed the campaign as necessary to neutralize Hamas after months of escalating rocket fire and cross-border attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel would “act decisively until security for our citizens is restored.”

West Bank Settlement Approval

At nearly the same time, Israel’s Security Cabinet gave final approval to a settlement project in the West Bank that would effectively bisect Palestinian territory. The new construction, planned east of Jerusalem, would connect existing settlements in a way that critics warn would cut the West Bank into northern and southern halves.

The United Nations, the European Union, and several Arab governments condemned the decision, calling it a devastating blow to the two-state solution. “This project, if implemented, will make a contiguous Palestinian state virtually impossible,” said Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief.

Global Reaction and Rising Tensions

The twin developments have sparked alarm in Washington, where U.S. officials said they were pressing Israel privately to exercise restraint in Gaza and reconsider settlement moves. Publicly, however, the Biden administration reiterated Israel’s right to defend itself while stressing the importance of humanitarian access.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Israel’s actions a “full declaration of war on the Palestinian people,” urging international intervention. Meanwhile, Hamas vowed to resist the Israeli assault “by all means.”

What Comes Next

Military analysts suggest Israel’s strategy may involve encircling Gaza City in phases before sending ground forces deeper into urban combat. If the West Bank settlement plan proceeds in tandem, it could mark a decisive moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, cementing territorial realities that leave little space for negotiation.

“This is not just a military campaign — it’s a political project,” said Khaled Elgindy, a Middle East analyst at the Middle East Institute. “The combination of war in Gaza and settlement expansion in the West Bank signals that Israel is moving beyond managing the conflict to reshaping it on its own terms.”

With civilian casualties mounting in Gaza and diplomatic fallout spreading abroad, the coming weeks may determine whether this escalation spirals into a broader regional confrontation — or whether international pressure can force a recalibration.