Truce or New Escalation?
International observers are seeking an answer to this question as the situation in the Middle East continues to unfold with conflicting and tense signals. Just hours after the Palestinian group Hamas announced it was accepting a truce proposal, Israel announced a large-scale mobilization and plans for a swift occupation of Gaza City, and according to the latest data, the Israeli army is already on the outskirts of the city.
Throughout the day, the Gaza Strip has been echoed by powerful explosions. Amid the destruction and fears of escalation, Hamas announced that it approved the proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of hostages in two phases. However, there has been no official comment from Israel on this matter so far, with the only statement being that Tel Aviv insists on the immediate release of all captured Israelis.
At the same time, Israeli authorities announced that they were mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists to participate in an operation to seize Gaza City.
As part of the next phase of the operation "Gideon's Chariots_, 60,000 reservists will be mobilized", an official statement said.
Additionally, another 20,000 reservists have already been notified that their service is being extended, which underscores the seriousness of the plans to expand military operations.
Israel claims that before the operation, it will evacuate Gaza residents to the south and provide the necessary humanitarian aid. Currently, it is believed that Israeli forces control about 75% of the territory of the Gaza Strip.
The plan to occupy Gaza City has met with sharp criticism, with some analysts calling it only the first step towards seizing the entire Palestinian territory. For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu categorically claims that there are no plans for the strip to remain permanently under Israeli control, and the main goal is only the destruction of Hamas.
I have discussed with the Minister of Defense and the army our plans for Gaza City and the implementation of our missions. Hamas is under enormous pressure", Netanyahu said.
In an unexpected move, this afternoon Netanyahu posted a video on his X profile containing words of praise from former US President Donald Trump, accompanied by the inscription "Thank you!_q_, without revealing the reason for the post.
Meanwhile, the international community reacted strongly to the plans to expand the offensive. The United Nations (UN) strongly condemned the idea of the occupation of Gaza and insisted on the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors for aid deliveries to Palestinians blocked in the strip. Germany was among the countries that most strongly condemned the plans to expand the offensive. As a sign of disagreement, Berlin froze arms deliveries to Israel to ensure that they would not be used in the military operation.