Meanwhile, Egypt and Qatar are working on a new ceasefire proposal. According to two Arab officials, it would involve the release of all hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for a full end to the war and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
New Delhi:
Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages in Gaza are concerned about their safety after Israel allegedly approves a plan to take full control of Gaza City. Israel and Hamas have been at loggerheads for the last 22 months and the ongoing war has killed thousands of people in Gaza. Besides, a major chunk of the local population has been displaced as the whole city has turned into rubble.
The condition is expected to worsen if Israel goes ahead with the plan to take full control of Gaza. It’s, however, unclear when the new ground operation will begin. According to an official familiar with the plans, cited by AP, the operation will be “gradual” and has no confirmed start date. The offensive would likely involve mobilising thousands of troops and evacuating more civilians, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.
UNSC to hold emergency meeting
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Israel’s latest plans, rescheduled from Saturday afternoon. The UN Mission of Panama, which leads the council this month, did not give a reason for the change, but the original time fell on the Jewish Sabbath and Israel is expected to speak at the meeting.
Egypt, Qatar push for ceasefire
Meanwhile, Egypt and Qatar are working on a new ceasefire proposal. According to two Arab officials, it would involve the release of all hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for a full end to the war and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Before the Security Cabinet approved the Gaza City takeover, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday that Israel aims to take control of the entire Gaza Strip. Currently, Israeli forces hold about three-quarters of the territory.
Hamas, however, rejected Israel’s plan to take full control of Gaza, asserting that “expanding aggression against our Palestinian people will not be a walk in the park.”
Global powers irked over worsening humanitarian crisis
Global powers, including France and Britain, have rebuked the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Germany announced on Friday that it would suspend all military equipment exports that might be used in Gaza until further notice.
Tensions could escalate further if Prime Minister Netanyahu proceeds with broader plans to assert full control over the territory, nearly 20 years after Israel’s unilateral withdrawal. The latest Israeli strategy may also be intended to increase pressure on Hamas to agree to a ceasefire under conditions set by Israel