The Israeli military on Wednesday announced it had approved the “main framework” for a new phase of its offensive in the Gaza Strip, setting the stage for an assault on Gaza City just days after the security cabinet called for its seizure, reported by Khaleej Times.
Armed Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir signed off on the operational plan, according to an army statement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has not given a timeline for when troops will enter the densely packed city, now a refuge for thousands displaced by earlier fighting.
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported a sharp escalation in air strikes in recent days, with heavy bombardment of the Zeitoun and Sabra neighborhoods. Officials said civilian homes, possibly including high-rise buildings, were among the targets.
The announcement came hours after Hamas confirmed a senior delegation had arrived in Cairo for preliminary talks with Egyptian mediators on a temporary truce — an overture that may collide with Israel’s military timetable.
Israel’s plans to broaden the war, now in its 23rd month, have drawn mounting international condemnation and growing dissent at home. UN-backed experts warn of worsening famine in Gaza, where Israeli restrictions on aid have left much of the population in crisis.
The war erupted after Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Since then, Israel’s bombardment has killed at least 61,599 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say.
