An Israeli plan for a full-scale military takeover of Gaza City is a "distraction" from what is happening in the besieged enclave, an expert has claimed.
There has been widespread condemnation of the move by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Visiting Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations Dr Tahani Mustafa told Behind the Story there are many questions about what happens next.
"It's effectively distracting the international community, forcing them to focus on this plan regarding Gaza City and distracting from Israel’s broader practices in the Gaza Strip," she said.
"The deepening case of famine that we’re starting to see, the fact that Israel has managed to completely derail another ceasefire agreement that could lead to a potential settlement, an end to the war and return of the hostages.
"What we are seeing now is this fixation on this plan that is going to take months in any case to implement if they do end up implementing it."
Dr Mustafa said there is no infrastructure to even move people within Gaza.
"The fact that there aren’t any procedures to help people relocate internally within Gaza, never mind externally," she said.
"Gaza has no functioning roads left; how are you going to transport that many people to the south when you have no functioning civic infrastructure to move them?"
Dr Mustafa said she believes the plan is part of a wider effort to depopulate the Gaza Strip.
"There are three main population centres left now in Gaza – Gaza City being the last in north – and that means that we’re going to see those that are sheltering there being pushed now to the south," she said.
"Anyone who is left, anyone who refuses to leave, will be considered to be a legitimate combatant.
"It’s already really very clear that we have no safe spaces.
"I think this is the first stage that we’re seeing in Israel’s bigger plan here, which is to effectively depopulate the Strip".
'Opinion is changing’
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Israel to ‘reconsider’ the plan, adding that humanitarian aid and a ceasefire "is needed now."
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said the plan must be "immediately halted", while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the plan was "wrong" and would "only bring more bloodshed".
Germany has said it will halt the export of military equipment to Israel which could be used in the Gaza Strip.
Spain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have also condemned the move.
Read more: Israel's Gaza City plan 'must be halted immediately' – UN
Dr Mustafa said such statements condemning Israel need to be followed up by action.
"They mean nothing if you’re not going to actually substantiate them with actual real, tangible policies that can shift realities on the ground," she said.
"These moves so far that we’ve seen from some European states are substantive in the way of demonstrating to the rest of Europe, at least, that opinion is changing towards Israel.
"But unless it’s followed by more substantive changes, then I don’t think we’re going to see anything tangible".
It comes amid deepening fallout in the US against Ireland’s plans to pass the Occupied Territories Bill (OTB).
A group of US Congress members has written to US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent asking him to consider adding Ireland to a list of countries which boycott Israel if the bill is passed.
Dr Mustafa said such moves can show others that "the tide is changing".
"That could very much be the thing that sort of catalyses other states to follow suit," she added.
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