United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday criticised Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City, with the UN chief’s spokesperson saying the decision marked “a dangerous escalation” that will result in forced displacement of Palestinians.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take control of Gaza City to further expand Israel’s military offensive in the Palestinian enclave devastated by nearly a two-year Israeli assault. The plan drew strong criticism at home and abroad on Friday.

When asked by Fox News’ Bill Hemmer on Thursday if Israel would take over the entire coastal territory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “we intend to.”

KEY QUOTES

“This decision marks a dangerous escalation and risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians, and could further endanger more lives, including those of the remaining hostages,” the UN chief’s spokesperson said in a statement.

That decision “will result in additional forced displacement, killings and massive destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza,” the statement added. Forced displacement is illegal under international law.

CONTEXT

Gaza’s health ministry says Israel's military assault has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced Gaza’s entire population and prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.

Israel’s offensive followed an October 2023 attack in which Palestinian Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show. That attack sparked the latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.