Headline: Israel Begins Operation โฃto Take Control of Gaza City, Hamas Issuesโฃ Warning
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Gaza City – Hamas has strongly reacted to Israel’s announcement of the โขstart of an operationโฃ to take control of Gaza City, the largest city in the โฃgaza Strip. Hamas โขaccused Israel of โignoring mediation efforts to stop the fighting and secure the release of hostages.
“Today’s announcement by the terrorist occupation army about the start of the operationโ of the city of Gaza and nearly one million residents and refugees โขthere …showed… open ignoring โคof the efforts โขmade by the mediators,” Hamas said in โคaโ statement,as reported by AFP.
Hamasโข also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin netanyahu’s lack of responseโ to the latest ceasefire proposal submitted by mediators. Hamas had previously approved the latest proposals submitted โby Qatar andโข Egypt.
Hamas accused Netanyahu of being “a real barrier to any agreement” andโข accused him of not caring about the lives โof Israeli hostages.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday approved a military plan to conquer Gaza City, authorizing the call-up of around 60,000 Israeli reserve troops, increasing pressure on Hamas as mediators continue to push โคfor a ceasefire.
katz’s orders to send more troops to Gaza City were confirmedโ by his spokesman,โ coinciding with an Israeli official stating the government remains firm in its demand for the release of all hostages in any agreement.
Theโข ceasefire proposal Hamas approved includes an initial โข60-day ceasefire, a phased โคrelease of hostages, the release of Palestinian โฃprisoners, and provisions for humanitarian aid to enter theโ Gaza Strip.
Following โKatz’s approval, the Israeli military announced the start of the operation to seize Gaza City. “IDF troops have entered and are operating in theโ outskirtsโ of Gazaโ City,” said military โspokesman Brigadierโ General Effie Defrin.
Defrin stated that Israeli forces are operating in the areas surrounding Gaza City.