'Israeli' forces approve new offensive plan for Gaza

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) announced on Wednesday that it has approved the framework for a new offensive in the Gaza Strip, following a call by the security cabinet to seize Gaza City.

“Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir approved the main framework for the IDF's operational plan in the Gaza Strip,” the army said in an official statement.

The Israeli Occupation government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has not provided a specific timetable for when troops might enter Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban center, where thousands of residents have sought refuge from previous offensives.

Gaza’s civil defense authority reported that air strikes on the city have intensified over recent days. The residential neighborhoods of Zeitoun and Sabra were targeted “with very heavy air strikes targeting civilian homes, possibly including high-rise buildings,” the agency said.

The announcement came hours after Hamas confirmed that a senior delegation had arrived in Cairo for “preliminary talks” with Egyptian officials regarding a potential temporary truce.

Plans to escalate military operations in Gaza, which has been under a genocide for more than 22 months, have drawn both international condemnation and domestic opposition. UN-backed experts have warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in the territory, with severe food shortages due to 'Israel’s' significant restrictions on humanitarian aid.

The IOF's operations since October 2023 have resulted in at least 61,599 Palestinian deaths.