Israel approves Gaza City assault plan, calls up 60,000 reservists amid truce push

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday approved a military plan for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of 60,000 reservists, escalating pressure on Hamas even as international mediators continue efforts to broker a ceasefire.

According to an AFP report, citing Katz’s spokesperson, the decision comes as mediators await Israel’s official response to the latest truce proposal accepted by Hamas. The framework outlines a 60-day ceasefire, a phased release of hostages, the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and provisions for increased humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Despite some guarded optimism from mediator Qatar, a senior Israeli official reaffirmed Tel Aviv’s firm stance that any deal must ensure the release of all hostages held by Hamas, added the report.

On the ground, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen.

Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality, told AFP that condition in Gaza City is “catastrophic,” saying that “large numbers” of residents were fleeing the eastern neighbourhoods amid the ongoing threat of intensified military action.

The developments mark a critical moment in the conflict, with military preparations intensifying alongside diplomatic efforts to avert further escalation.

Israel’s security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August, sparking fears it would worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not yet called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response to the latest truce proposal.

Mounting pressure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under mounting domestic and international pressure to end the war in Gaza, as global leaders warn against further escalation.

On Wednesday, Germany said it “rejects the escalation” of Israel’s campaign, while French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that the offensive “can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples” and risk “dragging the region into a permanent war.”

The warning came as Katz approved plans to conquer Gaza City, just days after Hamas accepted the latest ceasefire proposal from mediators.

According to AFP, citing sources from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, the plan includes the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza, followed by a second release within a 60-day truce period — during which talks for a permanent ceasefire would take place.

So far, Israel has not formally responded to the proposal. Qatar, a key mediator, said the plan is “almost identical” to a version Israel had previously agreed to.

Netanyahu has yet to comment publicly on the latest offer but has reiterated that Israel would only accept a deal involving the simultaneous release of all hostages and an end to the war on its terms.

Of the 251 hostages taken in Hamas’s October 2023 attack, 49 remain in Gaza—27 of whom are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli military.

‘New phase of Gaza operation’

Israel has begun a new, targeted phase of combat in Gaza City, including areas previously untouched, AFP quoted a military official as saying on Wednesday. At least 25 Palestinians were killed across the territory, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.

The Israeli military said it killed 10 Hamas fighters in the south while repelling an attack; Hamas claimed several Israeli soldiers were also killed.

Since Hamas’s October 2023 assault, which killed 1,219 in Israel, over 62,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing offensive, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

Meanwhile, Israel approved a major West Bank settlement project, drawing strong condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which warned it undermines hopes for a future Palestinian state.

With inputs from agencies