The plan, which was approved in an early-morning vote by Israeli Cabinet ministers, calls for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to move to Gaza’s south.

The United Nations and major groups currently running aid operations in Gaza, briefed by Israel on the plans, said they would not cooperate with the plans.

Aid agencies have criticised Israeli plans to take over distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza and use private companies to get food to families after two months in which the military has prevented supplies from entering the enclave.