Israel's security cabinet approved plans for an expanded war on the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Friday, adding to signs that attempts to stop the onslaught and return captives held by Hamas have made no progress.
The decision came after comments from both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the military, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir this week indicating that Israel intended to step up the war on Gaza.
Since Israel broke and ended the latest ceasefire in March, Israeli troops have been carving out wide buffer zones in Gaza, squeezing the 2.3 million population into an ever narrower zone in the centre of the enclave and along the coast and blocking the entry of aid trucks.
"As long as Hamas does not release our hostages, we will significantly deepen our military action," Ynet, one of Israel's main news outlets quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports, which said the decision would be approved by the full cabinet on Sunday.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said that while Israel was seeking the return of its hostages, of whom up to 24 are believed to be alive, its ultimate goal in Gaza remained to defeat Hamas.
"In war, there is the ultimate goal – and that ultimate goal is the victory over our enemies," he said.
Despite efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to restore the ceasefire, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal.
Israel has insisted that Hamas must disarm and be excluded from any role in the future governance of the enclave, a condition that Hamas rejects.
The group, which has run Gaza since 2007, has insisted on agreeing a lasting end to the fighting and a withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for a deal that would see a release of the captives.
Israeli commanders have said the military is ready to step up its assault on Gaza at short notice.
"We will use all the power at our disposal, we will increase the pace and intensity of the operation, and if required we'll do so soon," Zamir said at a so-called 'Independence Day' ceremony on Thursday.
On Friday, Israel continued to bomb different areas of Gaza, killing at least 42 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities said.
Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 52,418 Palestinians since October 2023, including 2,326 since Israel broke the ceasefire in March.
Reuters contributed to this report.