Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the occupation army to accelerate the takeover of Gaza City, ignoring ceasefire negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar that had already won Hamas’ approval. The move has heightened fears of mass displacement and collapse of truce efforts.
Mediators had proposed a 60-day halt to the war on Gaza, including the release of 10 living Israeli captives alive and half of the bodies held by the resistance. In exchange, an unidentified number of Palestinian detainees would be released as Israel withdraws from Rafah and the Morag Corridor.
While Hamas accepted the deal, Israel has yet to respond favorably.
Instead, Netanyahu announced on X that the army’s deadline to defeat Hamas strongholds would be shortened, claiming Israel has no intention of building settlements in Gaza, contradicting earlier remarks by Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich calling for resettlement.
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz approved the detailed plan, codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots 2,” involving five to six divisions with heavy air support, a campaign expected to last four to six months.
To that end, Israel also recalled 60,000 reservists and extended service for 20,000 more. Israeli war cabinet had approved the plan in the early hours of Aug. 8.
The occupation army said today it had begun the first stage of a large-scale assault on Gaza City, encircling its outskirts. “Hamas is now a battered and bruised guerrilla force,” said occupation army spokesperson Evi Dviren, pointing to clashes near Khan Younis.
“We will deepen the attack on Hamas in Gaza City, a stronghold of governmental and military terror for the terrorist organization,” he added.
As part of its plan for a new offensive, the Israeli occupation army announced last Saturday that it would begin providing Palestinians with tents and shelter equipment starting Sunday. The military said the move was in preparation for transferring residents from combat zones to “safe” ones in the south of the Strip.
On the ground, the occupation army has intensified strikes on neighborhoods south and north of Gaza City. Drones dropped leaflets urging residents to evacuate again toward Al-Mawasi in the south.
In response, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the escalation as “another iteration of genocide, displacement and annexation,” urging the UN Security Council to act under Chapter VII.
Humanitarian organizations voiced alarm, with Julien Lerisson, Head of Delegation in Israel and the occupied territories, warning that forcing new mass evacuations in Gaza City would be “unimaginable” and double the risks for civilians and Israeli captives.
On its end, Hamas denounced Netanyahu’s orders as “contempt for Arab and international mediators,” accusing him of deliberately obstructing a truce. In a statement on Telegram, the group said the Israeli leader “does not care about the fate of his captives in Gaza” and is undermining all efforts to end the war.
At the same time, Israel has set a new, hard precondition for any ceasefire in Gaza. According to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer told Qatari officials in Paris that the release of all captives is a “non-negotiable precondition.”
This account was corroborated by Axios and AFP, who cited an unnamed Israeli official confirming that the Netanyahu government will not sign any final deal without the captives’ release.
This position came despite Qatar noting the new proposal was nearly identical to a version Israel had previously accepted, fueling expectations of a breakthrough. Families of Israeli captives have staged repeated protests in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, pressing Netanyahu to finalize an exchange, warning ongoing military operations endanger their relatives’ lives.
According to a senior Hamas source who previously spoke to Al Manassa, the mediators’ revised draft reportedly reduces Israel’s planned buffer zone inside Gaza from 1,500 to 800 m, closer to Hamas’ earlier demand of 600 m. It also increases the number of Palestinian detainees to be released to 1,700—up from Israel’s initial offer of 1,000. The list now includes 1,500 individuals from Gaza, many of whom were detained during the ground invasion, and 200 prisoners serving life or long-term sentences.
While Hamas initially requested the release of 300 prisoners serving life terms, the group ultimately accepted the Egyptian compromise. In return, it agreed to drop demands for the release of Qassam Brigade fighters, in exchange for increasing the overall number of Gaza detainees included in the deal
Additionally, the number of daily aid trucks would increase from 500 to 600, along with the unrestricted delivery of shelter materials and tents. There are reportedly no limitations on where such aid can be deployed within the enclave.
In January 2025, Israel and Hamas agreed to a first-phase truce, but by March 18 Israel refused to implement the second stage, resuming its war in Gaza. Since then, no sustained ceasefire has taken hold despite months of negotiations.
