Commercial satellite images reveal a major buildup of Israeli troops and equipment along the Gaza border, which US officials say may indicate preparations for a new ground assault on the Palestinian territory.This comes after Israel’s security cabinet on Friday approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The move stops short of the full occupation of Gaza that Netanyahu had previously discussed, the Associated Press reported.Three US officials and one former official who reviewed the imagery told NBC News the formations and movements were consistent with signs of an imminent large-scale operation.The buildup comes as Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, a move that falls short of the full occupation of Gaza previously floated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu’s shifting Gaza plan
Earlier this week, Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel intended to seize control of the entire Gaza Strip to remove Hamas from power and establish a security perimeter. “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,” Netanyahu told on Fox News on Thursday.Netanyahu said Israel would prefer to hand Gaza over to Arab forces after the war, without specifying who those forces would be or how such a transition would work. He insisted, however, that Israel does not plan to govern the territory, saying that, “we don’t want to keep it. we want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it.” His remarks came amid mounting criticism of the war both within Israel and internationally.If implemented, Israel’s plan to take “full control” of Gaza would reverse its 2005 withdrawal, when it pulled out troops and settlers. While Israel has since maintained control over Gaza’s borders, airspace and utilities, a full military re-entry would involve operating in areas it does not currently control. This could include issuing evacuation orders to residents before advancing troops enter.Netanyahu has said defeating Hamas and rescuing remaining hostages are Israel’s main objectives, though it is unclear whether his plan is a short-term military campaign or part of a longer-term strategy.
Hostage rescue and humanitarian aid
US officials briefed on Israeli discussions said any new operation could include efforts to retrieve hostages held by Hamas, while also expanding humanitarian aid to non-combat zones. Israeli troops have been carrying out ground operations in Gaza since October 27, 2023, with intermittent pauses during two ceasefires.Israeli forces believe the hostages are being held in central Gaza. Sources told NBC that their condition is deteriorating, citing a recent video showing an emaciated captive digging his own grave in a cramped tunnel.
Strained US–Israel relations
The military buildup comes amid tensions between Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump over humanitarian aid to Gaza. Trump, citing evidence from his aides, insisted that starvation in Gaza was real and pointed to images of hungry children. One former US official described the conversation as “a direct, mostly one-way discussion” in which Trump did most of the talking.The dispute followed Netanyahu’s public comments in Jerusalem a day earlier, in which he denied there was any starvation in Gaza. Trump publicly contradicted him while in Scotland, saying “you can’t fake” the images of suffering children.
Envoy’s visit to ease tensions
The disagreement prompted a visit to the region by US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. During his meetings with Israeli officials, Witkoff discussed humanitarian aid distribution and hostage rescue efforts. Israeli officials reportedly welcomed his visit, seeing it as a chance to explain their position and address criticism of the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a joint US–Israel relief program launched in May.After returning to Washington, Witkoff briefed Trump over dinner on his findings. The White House said the president remains focused on feeding Gaza’s civilians and securing the release of hostages. Asked whether he supports an Israeli occupation of Gaza, Trump replied: “I really can’t say. That’s going to be pretty much up to Israel.”
International pressure on Israel
A new Gaza ceasefire deal remains elusive. Israeli officials believe Hamas is not motivated to negotiate hostage releases, making military action more likely. But Western officials warn that a major offensive carries significant risks, given Hamas’ deep fortifications and the likelihood that hostages could be harmed.The UK, France, Canada and other nations have signaled they may recognise a Palestinian state during the UN General Assembly in September — a move that has raised alarms in Israel.
