A victory for Israel in Gaza means that the Palestinian territory will be "entirely destroyed" before its inhabitants depart for other countries, Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said.
"Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to ... the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries," the far right politician said at a conference on Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank.
His comments followed remarks by Hamas in which the militant group dismissed as pointless ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a "hunger war" on Gaza as famine looms and Israel prepares for a broader assault on the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
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Israel approved a military plan on Sunday involving the "conquest" of Gaza, where nearly all 2.3 million people have been displaced and a two-month Israeli blockade has worsened the humanitarian crisis.
"There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip," Basem Naim said.
Mr Naim, a Hamas political bureau member and former Gaza health minister, said the world must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end the "crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings".
Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, said "our efforts remain ongoing" for a Gaza ceasefire.
Israel's military said yesterday that expanded operations in Gaza would include displacing "most" of its population.
On Sunday, Israel's security cabinet approved a military plan for expanded operations, which one official said would entail "the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories".
The timing of troop deployments allowed a "window of opportunity" for a possible hostage deal coinciding with US President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East beginning in Saudi Arabia on 13 May, a senior Israeli security source said.
Nearly all of the territory's inhabitants have been displaced, often multiple times, since the start of the war prompted by Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
Israel's military resumed its offensive on Gaza on 18 March, ending a two-month truce.
Gaza's civil defence said six Palestinians, including a young girl, were killed in Israeli dawn attacks on Gaza.
Moaz Hamdan, who lost family members in a strike in Nuseirat in central Gaza, said he was awoken by "a very large explosion".
"We saw the whole place covered in dust and destruction, and there was no vision. We were unable to rescue the wounded," he said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Israel was at a delicate point with "tough dialogue" in parallel with "more steps militarily in order to bring back our hostages".
"I truly believe that all participants must go the extra mile, make an extra effort, take the extra step, so that we can see our hostages home immediately," he added.
Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated yesterday outside parliament in Jerusalem to express their opposition to the government plan.
"Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a future Palestinian state," one protester said.
The UN and aid organisations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with famine looming.
A senior Israeli security official said that "a central component of the plan is a large-scale evacuation of the entire Gazan population from the fighting zones ... to areas in southern Gaza".
Military spokesperson Effie Defrin said the offensive would include "moving most of the population of the Gaza Strip ... to protect them".
China said it opposed Israel's military actions in Gaza and was "highly concerned" by the situation, urging all parties to "effectively implement the ceasefire agreement".
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris "very strongly" condemns Israel's planned Gaza offensive, calling it "unacceptable", and adding its government was "in violation of humanitarian law".
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs called for an end to the violence in Gaza, saying he is "deeply appalled and sickened by Israel's continuing blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza".
Speaking at the Global Ireland Summit at Dublin Castle, Simon Harris said it is deeply concerning that the World Food Programme has reported that food supplies are running out in Gaza and that people there are facing what he said was a famine.
While the Tánaiste said Hamas should be condemned, he added "Ireland and the EU" also need to "urge Israel to comply with international law".
For Palestinians, any forced displacement evokes memories of the 'Nakba', or catastrophe - the mass displacement in the war that led to Israel's creation in 1948.
The health ministry in Gaza said yesterday at least 2,459 people had been killed since Israel resumed its campaign on 18 March, bringing the overall death toll from the war to 52,567.
Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Out of the 251 people abducted by militants that day, 58 are still held in the enclave including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Talks for a truce in Gaza, mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have stalled with Israel insisting on a limited-duration ceasefire and Hamas's disarmament while the Palestinian group has said the negotiations should lead to a permanent end to the war.
