07:25 BST
Yolande Knell
Middle East correspondent, in Jerusalem
Israel’s military says it already has operational control of 75% of Gaza, but the new plan would reportedly propose occupying the entire region – including areas where more than two million Palestinians now live.
“The die has been cast. We’re going for the full conquest of the Gaza Strip – and defeating Hamas,” local journalists quote a senior official as saying.
It is unclear what that would mean for civilians and for the operations of the UN and other aid groups.
About 90% of Gaza’s 2.1 million people have been displaced, some repeatedly, and are living in overcrowded and dire conditions. Humanitarian groups and UN officials say many are starving, accusing Israel of impeding the distribution of crucial aid.
Yesterday Israel said it will allow local businesspeople in Gaza to restart entry of some goods as part of efforts to improve conditions there. Private imports were previously stopped because of claims that Hamas was benefitting.
Palestinians point out that far-right Israeli ministers have been openly advocating for the full occupation and annexation of Gaza and ultimately want to build new Jewish settlements there.