The Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has expressed deep concern about Israel's plan to expand military operations in Gaza.

On Aug. 8, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement saying that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will"prepare to take control of Gaza City", BBC reported.

This has been approved by the Israeli security cabinet on Aug. 8, but not the entire cabinet.

BBC added that they will do so while providing humanitarian aid to civilians outside the combat zones.

Currently, 900,000 people live in Gaza City, including many who have been displaced by the military, Reuters reported.

On Aug. 10, a spokesperson from the Singapore MFA commented on the plan, calling it"a dangerous and unacceptable course of action that will lead to more mass displacement of civilians and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis".

Israel must comply with its international humanitarian obligations, and remove all restrictions on humanitarian aid, the spokesperson added.

"Singapore reiterates its call for an immediate ceasefire, and for Hamas to release all remaining hostages immediately and unconditionally," the spokesperson added.

Israel's plan

Netanyahu's office laid out five objectives in their plan.

Besides taking security control of Gaza City, it also aims to disarm Hamas, return all hostages, demilitarise the entire Gaza Strip, and establish"an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority".

According to the BBC, Israeli media reported that the first steps of the plan would be to relocate the approximately one million residents of Gaza City further south.

The IDF would also take control of refugee camps in central Gaza and areas where Israeli hostages are believed to be held.

Weeks after that, there would be a second offensive along with a boost in humanitarian aid, BBC cited Israeli media saying.

The plan still requires endorsement by the full Israeli cabinet, expected to convene in the next few days, according to The Guardian.

Days before the plan was announced, Netanyahu reportedly spoke about a plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, of which the IDF currently controls about 75 per cent.

A retired Israeli brigadier general, Amir Avivi, told Reuters that a takeover of Gaza City would expand that to about 85 per cent.

He said that the move would be a"game changer" in Israel's conflict with Hamas.

Criticism at home and abroad

The remarks by the Singapore MFA add to the mounting global criticism of Israel's plan.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the escalation"wrong" and said it "will only bring more bloodshed", while Germany announced it will halt all exports of military equipment to Israel that could be used in Gaza until further notice, BBC reported.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that the decision"could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages".

In Israel, thousands of demonstrators, including hundreds of former soldiers, took to the streets across the country on Aug. 10 to voice their anger over their government's plan, BBC captured on.

However, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has dismissed the backlash, saying that"countries around the world that condemn and threaten sanctions will not weaken our resolve", as quoted by Al Jazeera.