Israel threatens to flatten Gaza

Israel's Security Cabinet approved a plan last night to reoccupy and eventually flatten all of Gaza if a new hostage-and-ceasefire deal isn't reached soon, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.

• The plan calls for demolishing any buildings left standing and displacing virtually the entire population of 2 million people to a single "humanitarian area."

🗓️ The latest: The Security Cabinet is using President Trump's visit to the Middle East next week as a deadline for a new deal.

• Many Israeli officials see this operation as a nuclear option and would much prefer a deal in the next two weeks.
• Trump isn't playing an active role in efforts to reach a ceasefire, and has effectively given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a green light to do as he sees fit, Israeli officials say.

💡 The big picture: The return to full-fledged war would come after Israel already cut off all supplies of food, water and medicine to civilians in Gaza after the ceasefire broke down two months ago.

• Netanyahu has rejected any proposal that ends the war entirely, pressing Hamas instead to sign a shorter-term agreement.

Israeli officials hope the threat of a large-scale invasion will press Hamas to accept a deal on Israel's terms.

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