Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces will begin a new offensive to occupy the entire Gaza Strip in an effort to root out Hamas.

What he is saying: "We intend to control all of Gaza. We don't want to keep Gaza. We want a security perimeter. We want to hand Gaza over to Arab forces that will govern Gaza properly," Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News.

Why it matters: Netanyahu's remarks came shortly before the Israeli Security Cabinet convenes to approve the highly controversial plan to expand the war. • President Trump has decided not to intervene and to let the Israeli government make its own decisions, U.S. officials say.

Driving the news: The new operation to occupy additional areas of central Gaza, including Gaza Cit

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