Gaza war latest: Israel to continue with Gaza City offensive as Netanyahu orders ‘immediate’ hostage negotiations
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will give final approval for takeover of Gaza City while also restarting negotiations with Hamas aimed at returning all of Israel’s remaining hostages and ending the war on Israel’s terms.
The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days after Netanyahu grants final approval at a meeting with senior security officials. Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which, if accepted by Israel, could forestall the offensive.
The Israeli military has been calling medical officials and international organisations in the northern Gaza Strip to encourage them to evacuate to the south ahead of the expanded operation. The military plans to call up 60,000 reservists and extend the service of 20,000 more.
It comes as a UN-backed group is set to officially declare a famine in parts of northern Gaza on Friday, while leaked Israeli intelligence data appeared to suggest that at least five out of every six Palestinians killed during this war have been civilians.
- For more: Elrisala website and for social networking, you can follow us on Facebook
- Source of information and images “independent”“
