Following its re-invasion and siege of northern Gaza, Israel is moving to designate the area as a “closed military zone,” a move that critics argue amounts to an effective annexation of the territory. While Israel has used similar strategies in the past, opponents claim the current plan would essentially see a mass extermination of northern Gaza’s population.

After nearly a year of Israeli deliberations over what the “next phase” strategy in its conflict with the Gaza Strip should be, Israeli media reports began indicating that the plan would likely involve annexation and settlement expansion.

While Israel officially denies that any specific plan is being implemented, the invasion and siege of northern Gaza align with discussions Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly held in “secret meetings” in the months leading up to the operation.

What is now referred to as the “General’s Plan” is likely the strategy Tel Aviv aims to implement in northern Gaza. This approach would involve seizing all territory north of the Netzarim Corridor and designating it as a closed military zone. The plan would block all aid from entering the area and impose a “surrender or starve” scenario on the remaining Palestinian fighters.

Approximately 300,000 Palestinians still reside in northern Gaza despite being ordered to evacuate. Some cannot leave, fearing for their safety during the journey, while others refuse, as there is nowhere else to seek shelter. Under the “General’s Plan,” these civilians would be given a week to flee the north, after which all remaining individuals would be considered enemy combatants. Critics say that this approach could lead to the mass killing of civilians.

The General

The proposal for northern Gaza is credited to retired Major General Giora Eiland. Once considered a figure of Israel’s political “left,” Eiland previously worked with former Israeli President Shimon Peres during the “peace process” in the early 2000s.

Eiland’s increasingly extreme stances since the start of the war in Gaza have made him an Israeli media darling. He’s used that spotlight to call for “starving Gaza” and advocate for exterminationist policies. Following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, Eiland recommended the Israeli military avoid a costly ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

In November 2023, Eiland penned an op-ed where he argued that no Palestinian civilian should be considered innocent, even mocking the idea. “Who are the poor women of Gaza? They are all the mothers, sisters or wives of Hamas murderers,” he wrote.

The retired Major General went even further, suggesting that Israel should create conditions for starvation and epidemics. “Israel must not provide the other side with any capability that prolongs its life,” he wrote.

The international community warns us of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza and severe epidemics. We must not shy away from this, as difficult as that may be. After all, severe epidemics in the south of the Gaza Strip will bring victory closer and reduce casualties among IDF soldiers.”

Israel’s leading human rights organization, B’Tselem, cited Eiland’s statements as evidence that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was not an unintended consequence but rather a deliberately manufactured “intended result” of the ongoing war.

Genocidal Intent

The General’s Plan does not solely reflect Giora Eiland’s views; it aligns with what Israel’s most senior leaders have advocated since October 2023. It embodies the sentiments expressed by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in his speech, where he stated, “We are fighting human animals and will act accordingly,” and declared that “there will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed.”

“It is an entire nation out there that is responsible for the actions of Hamas,” said Israeli President Isaac Herzog, adding, “It is not true, this rhetoric about civilians not being aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true. They could have risen up.”

When South Africa cited Herzog’s remarks at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to argue that Israel intended to commit genocide, the Israeli president attempted to walk back his statements, claiming that his words had been misinterpreted and twisted.

Despite Herzog’s attempt to walk back his comments, the Israeli government continued to escalate its rhetoric. Government accounts posted a video online stating, “There are no innocent civilians” in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly referred to Palestinians in Gaza as “Amalek,” a term from biblical tradition often associated with the call for the destruction of an entire people, indirectly advocating for the killing of women, children, the elderly, and even livestock.

While Israel attempted to deny that the reference to “Amalek” was genocidal in nature, South Africa’s legal team demonstrated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that this was precisely how Israeli soldiers interpreted the message.

This rhetoric, whether from the architect of the General’s Plan or other senior Israeli leaders, clearly aligns with the intended outcomes of the strategies proposed for northern Gaza. And any doubt remained, since January, Israeli settler groups—endorsed by ministers in Netanyahu’s government—have already begun organizing conferences laying the groundwork for illegal settlements in northern Gaza.

Feature photo | Reired Israeli Gen. Giora Eiland speaks to army officers before holding a press briefing at Israel’s Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 12, 2010. Ariel Schalit | AP

Robert Inlakesh is a political analyst, journalist and documentary filmmaker currently based in London, UK. He has reported from and lived in the occupied Palestinian territories and hosts the show ‘Palestine Files’. Director of ‘Steal of the Century: Trump’s Palestine-Israel Catastrophe’. Follow him on Twitter @falasteen47

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