Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for immediate Gaza truce talks while approving a new military plan to capture Gaza City. He said Israel’s priority is to defeat Hamas and secure the release of hostages.
Netanyahu made the announcement during a visit to a military base near the enclave. However, he did not specify when or where the negotiations would begin. Reports from Israeli media suggest no delegation has yet been sent to Doha or Cairo.
The Israeli security cabinet was expected to meet Thursday night to finalize the plan for a full assault on Gaza City. This comes as Israel mobilized 60,000 reservists, with another 20,000 expected soon.
Hamas recently accepted a ceasefire and hostage release proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Israel has not yet issued an official response.
Netanyahu also listed five conditions for ending the conflict: disarming Hamas, releasing hostages, demilitarizing Gaza, maintaining Israeli security control, and setting up a non-Hamas, non-Palestinian Authority body to manage daily governance.
Meanwhile, overnight Israeli strikes killed 70 and injured 356 in Gaza. Health officials say the death toll since October 7, 2023, has climbed to 62,192.
