Gaza Residents Feel Abandoned as Israel Broadens Military Control

Amid the constant hum of Israeli drones and dwindling food resources, Oday Basheer quietly goes about his work in Deir al-Balah, assisting with a community kitchen that feeds displaced Palestinians. The constant threat of airstrikes has become a grim reality. He notes, “One press of a button could end my story.”

Basheer, whose kitchen collaborates with World Central Kitchen (WCK), has stopped paying attention to the news. He believes, “No one is coming to put an end to this conflict.”

On Monday, Israel verified what many in Gaza had already anticipated: their military intends to maintain control of the territory indefinitely, mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists for a significant escalation of operations. According to a defense official who spoke with the Associated Press, the timing of this move may depend on President Trump’s upcoming visit to the region next month.

Speaking to TIME from Gaza, Basheer says, “I won’t be able to fulfill my dreams. This genocide has claimed the lives of over 50,000 people.”

WCK has suspended its operations in Gaza twice in the past year following Israeli strikes in April 2024 and .

As of April, have perished, worsening the crisis for Gaza’s 2 million inhabitants already dealing with a near-total blockade.

How Will Israel Expand Military Operations?

The conflict began after a Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, with the militants taking approximately 250 hostages. As of May 6, more than 52,000 Palestinians have died, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel’s plan signifies a shift in the nation’s war strategy, and will only worsen the humanitarian disaster within Gaza.

While Israeli forces have previously made deep incursions into Gaza during the war, a continuous military presence has largely been limited to a 1km buffer zone along the border. This zone was expanded in April, denying Palestinians access to over half of the territory.

In a video posted on social media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “There won’t be an in-and-out situation. We won’t enter and then leave, only to conduct raids later. That’s not the plan. The intention is the opposite.”

Eli Cohen, a member of Israel’s security cabinet, told , “We want Israeli security control. This means we will be able to act anywhere in Gaza, at any time.”

He added, “We aren’t interested in managing civilian life. We’re talking about four things: Israeli security control, Hamas not being the sovereign, demilitarization, and advancing President Trump’s voluntary emigration plan.”

The Israel Defense Forces did not respond to TIME’s request for comment.

What Has Been The Reaction To The Plan?

Thousands of reservists are refusing call ups, to Netanyahu calling for an end to the war, and is reportedly only 60% in recent weeks.

The strategic shift follows Hamas’s apparent rejection of further cease-fire negotiations. On May 6, senior official Basem Naim there was “no sense” in further negotiations while “the hunger war and extermination war” continued.

Naim urged international pressure on Netanyahu, issued in 2024 over alleged war crimes.

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes tells TIME that “President Trump remains committed to securing the immediate release of hostages and an end to Hamas rule in Gaza.”

Within Israel, families of hostages still held by Hamas have voiced criticism of the new military strategy. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum the government’s plan prioritizes territory over lives. “This decision will be remembered as a cry for generations,” the group stated.

As part of the new strategy, Israel also intends to restructure how aid is distributed, transferring responsibility away from the UN and towards Israeli-controlled hubs.

The UN Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory the proposal, warning that it risks forcing civilians into militarized zones and violates humanitarian principles.

Medical Aid for Palestinians also condemned Israel’s plan, describing it as a “dangerous attempt to weaponise humanitarian aid.”

In the statement, Interim CEO Stephen Cutts said: “This plan violates the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality, and would knowingly deprive millions of vital aid.”

How Much Food And Aid Is Getting Into Gaza?

Two days after the Hamas attacks on October 7 2023, Israel entering Gaza including electricity, fuel, and water. This blockade .

Israel resumed attacks on the Gaza Strip in March, ending a cease-fire deal with Hamas that had been in place for nearly two months. Since then, there has also been a ‘’ entering the territory according to the United Nations.

Basheer mentions that he and his family have been helping a kitchen in Deir Al-Balah to cook and provide food from their home daily for displaced families.

Basheer states, “Everyone needs food now because they can’t get it from the markets.”

Juliette Touma, communications director for UNRWA, says Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is worsening with each passing week.

She tells TIME, “It’s the basics for the survival of human beings, nothing has been allowed in. It’s more than two months now.”

How Much Of Gaza Has Been Destroyed?

In April, the UN that approximately 92% of all residential buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed —equivalent to about 436,000 homes.

This has resulted in nearly 50 million tonnes of debris, which could take decades to fully clear under current conditions. The UN estimates that 11,000 bodies are still trapped beneath rubble across the strip.

Gaza’s education system has also collapsed. According to , over 95% of schools in Gaza have been damaged, and 62% of schools used as shelters for displaced civilians have been hit directly.