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Israel Approves Military Plan to Conquer Gaza City, Pressuring Hamas for Ceasefire

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The situation in Gaza City is "catastrophic" with "large numbers" fleeing eastern neighbourhoods, according to Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality. The Israeli military's approval of a plan to conquer Gaza City, authorised by Defence Minister Israel Katz, has piled pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. Hamas has criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's lack of response to the proposal, accusing him of being "the real obstacle to any agreement" and of not caring about the lives of Israeli hostages.

Key Takeaways:

  • Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz approved a plan to conquer Gaza City, authorising the call-up of about 60,000 reservists.
  • Hamas has accepted a proposal from mediators for a ceasefire, which includes the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet publicly commented on the truce plan, and Israel's security cabinet approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August.
  • The proposal for a ceasefire involves an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners, and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza.
  • An Israeli military official described the new phase of combat as a "gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City".
  • The Israeli military said it killed 10 Hamas militants in southern Gaza on Wednesday while repelling an attack by the armed wing of the Islamist group.
  • Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
  • Israel's offensive has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
  • The international community warns that Israel's actions may drag the region into a "permanent war" and threaten the viability of a future Palestinian state.

Statistics:

  • 60,000: Number of reservists authorised for call-up to conquer Gaza City.
  • 10: Number of hostages proposed for release in the initial 60-day ceasefire.
  • 18: Number of bodies proposed for release from Gaza in the initial 60-day ceasefire.
  • 60 days: Proposed duration of the initial truce in the ceasefire plan.
  • 1,219: Number of deaths reported in Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.
  • 62,122: Minimum number of Palestinians killed in Israel's offensive, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

Sources:

  • BSS: The official news Agency of Bangladesh
  • AFP: Agence France-Presse
  • Hamas: Palestinian militant group
  • Islamic Jihad: Islamist group allied with Hamas
  • Netanyahu's office: Israeli Prime Minister's office
  • Israeli military: Israeli military spokesperson
  • Gaza's civil defence agency: Gaza's civil defence agency spokesperson
  • United Nations: Reliable source of information on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza
  • German government: Statement on the escalation of Israel's campaign
  • French President Emmanuel Macron: Warning that the offensive "can only lead to a complete disaster for both peoples"

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