Overview

• Defense Minister Israel Katz said operational plans to seize Gaza City were approved, including relocating residents, and warned Hamas the city could face destruction if Israel’s conditions are not met.
• Israel’s military says the first phase is underway with forces in Gaza City’s outskirts, five divisions earmarked for the operation, about 60,000 reservists called up, and roughly 20,000 service terms extended.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanjahu ordered immediate negotiations to free all hostages and end the war on terms acceptable to Israel, with officials citing about 50 captives in Gaza and at least 20 believed alive.
• The army instructed hospitals and aid groups to shift medical supplies south in preparation for large‑scale population movements, drawing warnings from the ICRC and UN offices of severe civilian harm.
• The IPC declared a famine in Gaza Governorate, citing extreme hunger and acute child malnutrition, while Israel’s foreign ministry and COGAT rejected the finding and claimed aid flows negate famine conditions.