Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed on Monday that he is considering a plan to lay siege to northern Gaza, a proposal promoted by senior IDF reservists. Speaking before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu indicated that the so-called “generals’ plan” is one of several strategies under review to address Hamas forces.

The prime minister also shared grim news regarding the hostages held in Gaza. “According to the information we have, half of the [97 remaining] hostages in Gaza are alive,” Netanyahu reportedly said, implying that around 50 hostages may have died. The IDF has only confirmed the deaths of 33 hostages still in Hamas hands.

The plan to besiege northern Gaza, championed by retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, calls for cutting off supplies and warning civilians to evacuate. Eiland, a former IDF official, argued that such a move would “change the reality” in Gaza and weaken Hamas’s hold over the region. “What matters to [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar is land and dignity, and with this maneuver, you take away both land and dignity,” Eiland explained.

Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of controlling the distribution of humanitarian aid to diminish Hamas’s power. “As long as Hamas controls food and fuel, they can continue to recruit fighters,” he told the committee.

Likud MK Amit Halevi expressed support for the plan, saying that “in order to defeat Hamas, we must control the land and the population.” Halevi also suggested that the siege could increase pressure on Hamas to negotiate for the release of hostages, asserting that Hamas would have no incentive to deal if they had ample resources.

The possibility of shifting northern operations to Lebanon also came up in the meeting, with Netanyahu noting the intensifying conflict with Hezbollah. He said that military actions in the north could help force Hamas to negotiate in Gaza.

Netanyahu also addressed criticisms over delays in reaching a hostage deal, denying claims that he was the obstacle to an agreement. He stated that Hamas has repeatedly revised the terms of a proposed ceasefire, while Israel has accepted the conditions laid out by American mediators. Netanyahu suggested a new approach involving multiple brief ceasefires, during which small groups of hostages would be released.

Amid growing hostilities with Hezbollah, Netanyahu warned that Israel would continue to degrade Hezbollah’s capabilities while seeking to avoid full-scale war. In recent days, Hezbollah expanded its rocket attacks, targeting the Haifa area and the Jezreel Valley, bringing over two million Israelis within range of its strikes.

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