The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on 13/8 that commander Eyal Zamir had "approved the main framework for the operational plan in the Gaza Strip". However, no further details were released.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has not announced the exact timing for the Israeli military's advance into Gaza City, the largest city in the Gaza Strip, where thousands have already been displaced by earlier attacks.
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Palestinians wait to receive meals at a food distribution center in Gaza City on 13/8. Photo: AFP |
Palestinians wait to receive meals at a food distribution center in Gaza City on 13/8. Photo: AFP
The announcement came hours after the Hamas militant group in Gaza said it had sent a high-level delegation to Cairo for "preliminary negotiations" with Egyptian officials regarding a temporary ceasefire.
According to Gaza's civil defense agency, Israel has intensified airstrikes on Gaza City in recent days. "Israel continues to conduct aggressive incursions into Gaza City. The attacks represent a dangerous escalation aimed at imposing new realities on the ground by force, through a scorched-earth policy and the complete destruction of civilian property," said Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of Hamas's media office in Gaza.
Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza's civil defense agency, said that Israeli attacks killed at least 75 people across the strip on 13/8. AFP reporters in Gaza City on 12/8 observed many Palestinians frantically evacuating ahead of Israeli attacks on the Zeitoun and Asqoola areas.
After more than 22 months of campaigning in Gaza, Israel is deeply divided. One side demands an end to the conflict and a deal to release hostages, while the other wants to "eradicate" Hamas.
Criticism both inside and outside Israel intensified after Prime Minister Netanyahu's security cabinet announced on 8/8 a plan to expand the campaign and occupy Gaza City.
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Location of Gaza City and other urban areas in the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC |
Location of Gaza City and other urban areas in the Gaza Strip. Graphic: BBC
The Gaza conflict erupted in 10/2023 after Israel launched an operation in response to Hamas and to rescue hostages. Hamas had launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
There are currently about 49 hostages held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military believes are dead. The Gaza conflict has so far killed more than 61,500 people, according to Hamas-controlled health authorities.
Huyen Le (According to AFP, Reuters)
