Israeli jets and tanks struck parts of Gaza City on Sunday, August 24, in preparation for a major assault, as the Israeli military’s chief of staff warned officials in Tel Aviv that carrying out the order to demolish the city of 700,000 residents could take "over a year" and place additional strain on Israeli troops.
According to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Sunday, Eyal Zamir issued the warning following an ultimatum from Israeli minister of military affairs Israel Katz to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, threatening that if the terms set by Israel to end the war were not accepted, Gaza City could face a fate similar to the cities of Rafah and Beit Hanoun.
The report went on to say that Zamir has informed Israeli officials that in such a scenario, they would encounter a more critical situation with reserve units, which are already grappling with decreasing turnout rates and low morale.
Zamir, who has previously clashed with Israeli officials regarding the occupation plan for Gaza City and the threat it poses to the captives, said that the offensive can only begin after all necessary operational and legal preparations are in place, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on expediting the assault on Gaza City.
As of now, no "humanitarian zones", as demanded by Zamir, have been established, and there have been instances in the past where such zones, designated as “safe” areas, came under Israeli bombardment during the war.
Israeli military sources have indicated that the evacuation of the southern Gaza city of Rafah took two weeks, and it is estimated that evacuating Gaza City, home to approximately 1.2 million people, will take even longer.
According to the report, the military's plan outlines that the Gaza City operation would be halted if Israel and Hamas can reach a ceasefire agreement.
The military is prioritizing negotiations to release captives before considering any assault, the report said.
The offensive comes even though Hamas has accepted a 60-day ceasefire proposal, involving the release of half of the captives in Gaza in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners, following negotiations with Egyptian and Qatari officials in Cairo.
Despite this, Israel is determined to proceed with the occupation of Gaza City.
Meanwhile, witnesses have reported continuous explosions and shelling in various areas of Gaza City, with Israeli forces targeting buildings and homes.
The Israeli military has stated that its recent combat activities in the Jabalia area are aimed at dismantling Hamas tunnels and strengthening control of the region, in order to prevent further operations by Hamas fighters.
In a statement, Hamas declared that Israel's plans to take over Gaza City demonstrate a lack of seriousness about achieving a ceasefire, emphasizing that a ceasefire agreement is crucial for the return of the Israeli captives and holding Netanyahu accountable for their safety.
The Israeli regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and injured 156,230 others, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Since March 2, when it violated its ceasefire agreement with Hamas, the regime has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and further deepening Gaza’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
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