End of security consultations... Netanyahu vows to fully occupy Gaza.

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

((Arab Gulf)) Translations: Israeli media reported on Tuesday evening that consultations had concluded in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office regarding the continuation of the war in Gaza. The Jerusalem Post quoted an Israeli official as saying: "The trend is towards a full occupation of the Gaza Strip." The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation also reported that Netanyahu expressed his intention to fully occupy the Gaza Strip during security consultations. It added that "the security consultations addressed the issue of encircling the Gaza Strip," indicating that there is "a trend towards occupying camps in the center of the Strip and Gaza City." Media outlets quoted Netanyahu as saying at the conclusion of the consultations: "The Israeli army is ready to implement any decision taken by the Ministerial Council for Political and Security Affairs (the Cabinet)." But Haaretz newspaper said that "the army opposes ground operations in the population centers of the Gaza Strip, where the hostages are also located... and prefers to continue combing the area by building additional roads and launching specific raids." It quoted sources as saying that the Chief of Staff warned that expanding the fighting in Gaza would make it difficult to locate the hostages. The sources highlighted: "The position of the Chief of Staff and senior leaders of the security establishment is that any operation in areas where hostages are present will lead to their deaths." It confirmed: "Officials of the security establishment have made it clear that the occupation of the Gaza Strip will have repercussions on the reserve system." It continued: "The army made it clear that the occupation of Gaza requires withdrawing forces from other fronts and calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers." Israeli Army Radio quoted sources close to Netanyahu: "If the Chief of Staff of the Army does not agree to the occupation of Gaza, he should resign." The Israeli Channel 12 revealed: "The plan to fully occupy Gaza will be presented to the Cabinet for approval on Thursday."