Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contemplated a plan to cut off humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. If this plan goes ahead, it could leave thousands of Palestinians trapped in their homes without access to food or water. Israel argues that the plan is aimed to weaken Hamas militants.

The plan was proposed by a group of retired generals and various political leaders to Netanyahu and the Israeli parliament. The Associated Press reported that Palestinians in northern Gaza, including Gaza City, will have a week to evacuate before the area is declared a closed military zone.

Anyone who stays would be seen as combatant and could be killed under military rules. They would also be denied essential supplies like food, water, medicine, and fuel.

The plan, called the "Generals’ Plan," aims to weaken Hamas by cutting off their resources and making life difficult for civilians in Gaza. Its goal is to disrupt Hamas leadership, and its creator, Giora Eiland, believes this is the only way to resolve the ongoing conflict and encourage Hamas to release Israeli hostages.

Eiland told the BBC that since the northern part of Gaza has been surrounded for several months, Israel should inform the residents that they must leave within 10 days using designated safe routes. After this period, the area would be declared a military zone, and anyone remaining whether Hamas fighters or civilians would face two options: either surrender to Israeli forces or be left without resources, effectively leading to starvation.

Although the detailed proposal is ready and Israel has announced it but it is still unclear whether it will adopt this General plan or not.

When Ap asked whether the recent evacuation orders in northern Gaza were part of this strategy or not, Israeli spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani denied the connection saying they haven’t received any such plan.

An official told the AP that some parts of the plan are already being put into action, but didn't specify which ones. Another Israeli official confirmed that Netanyahu had reviewed this plan and other proposals related to the conflict, but there was no indication of whether it had been approved.

Since October 7 Israel has been in an intense conflict with Hamas, Israel currently has fewer ground troops in Gaza than it did a few months ago and has recently shifted its focus to Hezbollah by launching an invasion of southern Lebanon. There are no signs of progress toward a cease-fire on either front.

Israel's ongoing war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, including more than 17,000 children, 11,000 women, over 1,000 healthcare workers, and 174 journalists. However, several studies indicate that these figures may be underreported due to the challenging conditions in Gaza, with estimates suggesting the actual death toll could be around 200,000.