Israeli Armed Forces Chief approves new ‘framework’ for Gaza city seizure; Hamas slams ‘aaggressive' incursions

The Israeli military on Wednesday (Aug 13) said that it had approved the “framework” for a fresh offensive in the Gaza Strip. This new development comes days after the nation’s security cabinet called for the seizure of Gaza City. The plan was approved by the Armed Forces Chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. A statement by the IDF said that he "approved the main framework for the IDF's operational plan in the Gaza Strip." Hamas has, meanwhile, accused Israel of escalating its attacks. “The Israeli occupation forces continue to carry out aggressive incursions in Gaza City,” said Ismail Al-Thawabta, director general of the Hamas government media office, claiming that Tel Aviv was using a “scorched earth policy” aimed at destroying civilian property. "These assaults represent a dangerous escalation aimed at imposing a new reality on the ground by force, through a scorched earth policy and the complete destruction of civilian property," he told AFP.

When will the new offensive take place?

As per an AFP report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is yet to provide a precise timetable for when the warring nations’ troops will enter Gaza City – the territory's largest city – where thousands sought refuge from Israel’s previous offensive.

News of the Israeli military’s approval of the fresh framework comes just hours after a senior delegation arrived in Cairo for “preliminary talks” for a temporary truce with Egyptian officials.

Israel’s plan to expand operations after more than 22 months of war has drawn international criticism and domestic pushback. UN-backed experts warn of famine across Gaza, where Israel has sharply limited humanitarian aid. The war began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which killed 1,219 people in Israel, according to official figures. Israel’s retaliatory offensive, meanwhile, has killed at least 61,599 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza — figures the UN regards as credible.