Israel-Gaza updates: Netanyahu weighs plan to force civilians out of north Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering implementing a plan that would involve forcing all Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza, and then refusing to allow any aid in to the remaining people, laying siege to the area, according to a former general for the IDF.

News that Netanyahu was considering the plan was first reported by CNN on Sunday.

The plan was formulated by a group of retired Israeli generals, led by Giora Eiland, who was head of Israel's National Security Council from 2004 to 2006.

It does not address whether Palestinians would be allowed to return to northern Gaza in the future if Israel were to carry out the plan.

Eiland told ABC News he presented the plan in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, last week. A press readout of that meeting said the head of the committee Eiland spoke to said he would speak with Netanyahu about the plan.

Eiland said he believes there is "wide political and military support for the plan,” and that while he hasn't spoken to Netanyahu personally, he's spoken to people close to the prime minister. "The PM knows the plan and is considering to adopt it," Eiland told ABC News.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces said it detected an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Iraq crossing into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Sunday night.

Interceptors were launched toward it and no injuries were reported, according to the IDF.

On Sunday morning, an IDF spokesperson said three projectiles had been detected coming from Iraq overnight, but all of them were intercepted.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces said it conducted a strike Sunday on a school in Gaza City, which it said was targeting Hamas militants operating inside the school.

It was the second strike on a Gaza school in two days.

The Gaza Civil Defense said six people were killed in Sunday’s strike.

The IDF claimed that "terrorists were operating from within a compound that previously served as the 'Kafr Qasem' School." It said in a statement, in part, that "numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to uninvolved civilians."

-ABC News' Victoria Beaulé

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released two statements Sunday -- one in Hebrew and one in English -- addressing the ongoing escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

In both statements, the prime minister said Israel is committed to returning tens of thousands of evacuated citizens to the north of the country.

"We will take whatever action is necessary to restore security and to bring our people safe back to their homes," he said.

In the statement in Hebrew, the prime minister said Israel dealt a heavy blow to Hezbollah this week, adding: "If Hezbollah did not understand the message, I promise you -- it will understand the message."

In the English statement, Netanyahu compared Hamas and Hezbollah, noting the latter's daily tempo of attacks since Oct. 8. "No country can accept the wanton rocketing of its cities," he said. "We can't accept it either."

Foreign Minister Israel Katz also released a statement addressed to other foreign ministers, saying the world must force Hezbollah to comply with a 2006 United Nations resolution that required the militant group to stay north of the Litani River in Lebanon; around 18 miles north of the Israeli border.

"We will do everything necessary to protect our citizens. If the world does not withdraw Hezbollah north of Litani in accordance with Resolution 1701 -- Israel will do so," Katz said.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule