Israel defense minister signs off plan to seize Gaza City

Israel’s defense minister has approved a new military plan aimed at seizing Gaza City, alongside the mobilization of roughly 60,000 reservists to support the operation. The decision, confirmed Wednesday by Israel Katz’s ministry, intensifies pressure on Hamas at a moment when international mediators await Israel’s response to the latest ceasefire proposal.

The move underscores Israel’s determination to maintain military pressure while balancing growing diplomatic calls for restraint. For nearly two years, the conflict has raged with intermittent negotiations producing only two brief truces, during which limited hostage and prisoner exchanges took place.

Ceasefire Proposal and Sticking Points

The most recent framework, endorsed by Hamas, outlines a 60-day pause in fighting. It includes a phased release of Israeli hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, and broader access for humanitarian aid into Gaza. Mediators Qatar and Egypt, with backing from the United States, have been shuttling between both sides in search of common ground.

Qatari officials described the latest proposal as “nearly identical” to one Israel had previously considered, while Egypt insisted the next step rests with Israel. However, Israeli leaders remain steadfast on one core demand: that any agreement must guarantee the release of all hostages.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to formally respond to the plan, though he recently stated that Israel would only accept a deal ensuring the release of every hostage in one stage and “under our conditions for ending the war.”

On the other side, Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi insisted his group was willing to compromise. “We have opened the door wide to the possibility of reaching an agreement,” he wrote on social media, before cautioning that Netanyahu could again close it, “as he has done in the past.”

Humanitarian Toll Mounts

As ceasefire efforts continue, the situation on the ground in Gaza remains dire. On Tuesday, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that Israeli bombardments and gunfire killed at least 48 people across the territory. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the agency, described conditions in Gaza City’s Zeitoun and Sabra districts as “very dangerous and unbearable,” with shelling resuming intermittently.

The Israeli military confirmed strikes in southern Gaza, including one in Khan Younis that targeted a Hamas militant. However, it did not provide details about broader troop movements, stressing only that its operations focus on dismantling Hamas capabilities while “taking feasible precautions to reduce civilian casualties.”

Due to media restrictions and limited access within Gaza, independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult. Still, humanitarian agencies warn that the crisis is spiraling. In northern Gaza, AFP reporters documented Palestinians hauling sacks of flour through rubble-strewn streets. Shawg Al-Badri, a displaced resident, described the flour—dubbed “white gold”—as invaluable: “This bag is worth the whole world,” she said.

Escalation Amid Mounting Pressure

The stakes are high for Netanyahu’s government, which faces intensifying scrutiny both domestically and abroad. Calls for restraint are growing as the death toll continues to climb. According to the Gaza health ministry, at least 62,064 Palestinians—most of them civilians—have been killed since Israel launched its campaign in response to Hamas’s October 2023 assault, which left 1,219 Israelis dead, also mostly civilians.

While Israel weighs the risks of a ground offensive in Gaza City, international mediators caution that further escalation could derail fragile peace efforts and deepen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The coming days will likely determine whether diplomacy prevails—or whether military action will again take center stage.