Israel presses Gaza City offensive as truce talks stall

Israeli bombardment of Gaza City’s Al-Zeitoun neighbourhood has continued for a tenth day, as the army presses ahead with an invasion of the city.

An Israeli military spokesman said Wednesday evening that the first stages of a planned offensive, dubbed "Gideon's Chariots 2", had begun, with the aim of occupying Gaza City and other parts of the enclave’s north.

Defence Minister Israel Katz and the military said up to 60,000 reservists would be called up in the coming month to carry out the occupation plan.

Al-Zeitoun, in the southern part of Gaza City, has faced heavy strikes since early last week, forcing thousands to flee their homes. Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli tanks and military vehicles advanced along several routes in the area, under cover of intense aerial and artillery bombardment targeting residential buildings.

Gaza Municipality spokesman Hosni Muhanna said the army was implementing a "scorched earth policy" in Al-Zeitoun and neighbouring Sabra through relentless shelling and the destruction of vital infrastructure. He said the campaign "amounts to a war crime under international law".

Al-Zeitoun is Gaza City’s largest neighbourhood, spanning more than 9 square kilometres and home to around 110,000 people. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said Saturday that some 400 homes had been destroyed in the neighbourhood over six days, adding that Israeli forces used booby-trapped robots and small quadcopter drones.

Since 7 October 2023, more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to the enclave's health ministry.

Israel obstructing deal

Hamas, which continues to fight Israeli troops on the ground, accused the government of “continuing its brutal war against innocent civilians” despite the group’s acceptance of the latest ceasefire proposal. It said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to respond showed he was "the real obstructionist of any agreement" and "not serious" about recovering Israeli captives.

The framework Hamas approved was based on a proposal put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this year. It includes a 60-day truce, a staggered release of captives, the freeing of Palestinian prisoners, and provisions for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

Egypt and Qatar have been working to revive the plan. Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met Qatari officials in Paris to discuss negotiations, but Israeli media cited an unnamed senior official as saying Tel Aviv does not plan to send another delegation to Doha or Cairo.

According to the Times of Israel, Israel has decided for now to avoid responding to the phased deal approved by Hamas.

Dermer has reiterated that Israel seeks only a comprehensive agreement in which Hamas releases all captives at once and accepts Tel Aviv’s terms for surrendering power. Israel says about 50 captives remain in Gaza, including 20 who are still alive.