The Israeli military plans to add 60,000 reservists and keep 20,000 more on duty as part of preparations for a Gaza City offensive. The Israeli military has already begun operating on the outskirts, including Jabalia and Zaytoun, and expects the main offensive to start in September, according to military officials cited by The Wall Street Journal. The decision follows the collapse of ceasefire talks in July.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that sustained military pressure is needed to force Hamas to give up weapons, relinquish power in Gaza, and release remaining hostages. Earlier in August, Israel’s security cabinet approved the plan to occupy Gaza City and evacuate its population south, though final operational approval is pending.
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What is Hamas proposing?
On Monday, Hamas said it accepted a 60-day ceasefire proposal after new mediation by Egypt and Qatar, according to The Washington Post. Israel has not agreed.
The deal would see more than half of the remaining hostages freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, alongside humanitarian aid. Talks for a longer-term truce would begin during the pause.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari called Hamas’s response “very positive and closely aligned with what Israel had previously accepted.” But Israeli officials have not committed. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hamas only returned to negotiations out of “fear that we are serious about conquering Gaza.”
How much pressure is Hamas facing?
Regional governments and Palestinian factions have pressed Hamas to compromise. At a U.N. conference last month, Arab officials said they would support Hamas giving up its weapons if that step helped halt the war and pave the way toward Palestinian statehood.
Other Palestinian groups also urged Hamas to accept a deal during meetings in Cairo. Inside Gaza, unions and community leaders planned a sit-in calling for an end to the fighting.
Analysts note that Hamas remains weakened after nearly two years of war, with senior leaders killed and its forces relying more on guerrilla tactics. Still, its tunnel network provides an advantage for prolonged insurgency.
The toll on civilians and hostages
The Gaza Health Ministry reports more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. Israeli bombardments and ground operations have forced almost the entire population to flee their homes, leaving widespread hunger and disease. COGAT, Israel’s military unit for humanitarian coordination, said it began moving tents and supplies to southern Gaza in preparation for evacuations.
Polling shows that about 74% of Israelis want the government to end the war in a deal that frees the hostages. Families of captives fear that a ground assault on Gaza City could put their relatives at greater risk. Of 50 hostages still held, about 20 are believed to be alive, according to Israeli officials cited by The Washington Post.
What comes next?
Israel has said it wants a comprehensive agreement that meets five conditions Netanyahu outlined: Hamas disarmament, return of all hostages, demilitarization of Gaza, Israeli security control, and a new governing authority. Without such an agreement, officials say the Gaza City invasion will proceed. Meanwhile, Netanyahu faces pressure at home and abroad. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis demonstrated Sunday demanding an agreement, while international criticism mounts over the humanitarian toll.
