Israel Claims Control Over 40% Of Gaza City As Push Against Hamas Escalates

<p>The Israeli military announced on Thursday that its forces now hold 40% of Gaza City, the largest urban stronghold in the Palestinian territory, as operations intensify against Hamas.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Today we hold 40 percent of the territory of Gaza City. The operation will continue to expand and intensify in the coming days,&rdquo; Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a video statement cited by AFP. He added that Israel would keep increasing pressure on Hamas &ldquo;until it is defeated.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The latest push follows Defence Minister Israel Katz&rsquo;s approval last month of a comprehensive plan to seize Gaza City. Around 60,000 reservists were also mobilized to back the effort, according to the Defence Ministry.</p>
<p>Codenamed &ldquo;Gideon&rsquo;s Chariots B,&rdquo; the campaign builds on an earlier phase of the same operation, during which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed control of 75% of Gaza&rsquo;s territory. Officials said the strategy was designed to tighten pressure on Hamas and force progress on a hostage deal.</p>
<p>Hamas, however, condemned the renewed offensive, accusing Israel of showing &ldquo;blatant disregard&rdquo; for ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations. The group blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally, calling him &ldquo;the real obstacle to any agreement&rdquo; and accusing him of putting Israeli hostages&rsquo; lives at risk.</p>
<p>Israel has maintained that no deal will be accepted unless it guarantees the release of all hostages.</p>
<p>The announcement comes as international mediators push harder to broker a truce. Hamas has already signaled support for a proposal that would include a 60-day ceasefire, a phased exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza. A senior Israeli official, however, reiterated that the government&rsquo;s position remains unchanged: all hostages must be freed immediately.</p>
<p>The war, now nearing its second year, erupted after Hamas launched a deadly assault on Israel in October 2023, killing 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel&rsquo;s retaliatory offensive has since killed at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza&rsquo;s Hamas-run health ministry, whose data is considered credible by the United Nations.</p>
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