Israel steps up attacks as army chief OKs Gaza plan
GAZA CITY
Israel’s army chief has formally endorsed a sweeping operation to seize Gaza City, as the military escalates its assault on the enclave’s largest urban center ahead of the planned ground offensive.
The plan approved by army chief Eyal Zamir calls for several brigade-sized units totaling at least 80,000 troops to encircle and seize the city, Israeli media reported.
“This is a broad plan that will exact a heavy price from Hamas but also carries significant risks for Israeli forces,” a military source said. Troops, supported by the air force, are expected to move within days into new areas to intensify pressure.
Senior commanders voiced concern that controlling central Gaza City could leave Israel responsible for distributing humanitarian aid until civilians relocate south.
Zamir, accompanied by top officers, toured the strip on Aug. 17 to study the terrain and consult field commanders before finalizing decisions.
The plan includes a broad forced evacuation of Palestinians over at least two weeks, beginning with a military operation followed by a gradual entry into the city. Israeli authorities will present the evacuation plan to U.S. officials at their request, according to several reported.
The approval came as Israel announced that it is preparing to move Palestinians from combat zones to southern Gaza.
The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, said the supply of tents to the territory would resume.
Israel has stepped up its assault on Gaza’s largest city ahead of a planned ground takeover, with at least 17 Palestinians killed since dawn on Aug. 18, including eight who were waiting for aid.
Meanwhile, Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza without requesting amendments, a source from the group told AFP Monday, after a fresh diplomatic push to end more than 22 months of war.
Mediators Egypt and Qatar, backed by the United States, have struggled to secure a lasting truce in the conflict, which has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
But after receiving a new proposal from meditators, Hamas said it was ready for talks.
"Hamas has delivered its response to the mediators, confirming that Hamas and the factions agreed to the new ceasefire proposal without requesting any amendments," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A source from Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian militant faction that has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza, told AFP that the plan involved a "ceasefire agreement lasting 60 days, during which 10 Israeli hostages would be released alive, along with a number of bodies.”
Israel has yet to respond.
