Senior IDF officials are considering the plan to turn the northern Gaza Strip into a military zone, Kan News reported on Thursday.
The plan was devised by former National Security Council head Major General (Res.) Giora Eiland, and the IDF, as stated, is considering adopting at least parts of it.
In recent days, supporters of the "Eiland Plan" in the military have accumulated. If the plan were to be approved by the IDF and political echelon, it would be a dramatic development in the war.
An area making up nearly a third of the Gaza Strip may be "taken" from the Gazans, with the thought, among other things, that the terrorists in the area will have no choice but to surrender or be eliminated.
Last week Eiland presented the "Generals' Plan" to defeat Hamas, with the assistance of Major General (Res.) Gershon Hacohen, Brigadier General Dedi Simchi (Res.), and other senior officers.
The plan is based on the assumption that the current strategy of conducting raids in Gaza is not effective enough to overwhelm Hamas and to put sufficient pressure on the terrorist organization to return the 101 hostages it still holds.
According to the plan, the entire area north of the Netzarim. Corridor, i.e. Gaza City with all its neighborhoods, would become a closed military area in which the entire population, estimated by the army to be approximately 250,000 people, would be required to leave immediately.
After a week in which the population will be given the opportunity to evacuate, a full military siege would be imposed on the area, leaving the terrorists in Gaza City with the choice - to surrender or die. The forum stated that the outline complies with the rules of international law because it allows the population to evacuate from the combat zone before the siege is imposed.