Israel's Security Cabinet approved a plan to occupy Gaza City, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement cited by AP.

But Israel does not want to “keep” or “govern it,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss expanding military operations in the territory.

Ahead of a security cabinet meeting that ran into the night, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intended to take control of all of Gaza. "We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there,