
Israel Security Cabinet approves plan to occupy Gaza City
The announcement comes after an all-night meeting of the security cabinet, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement that Israel planned to retake control over the entire territory and eventually hand it off to friendly Arab forces opposed to Hamas.
Israel has bombarded Gaza City repeatedly since Oct. 7, 2023 in addition to carrying out numerous raids. Today, it is one of the few areas of Gaza that hasn't been turned into an Israeli buffer zone or placed under evacuation orders.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Zelensky thanks European allies for support ahead of Trump-Putin meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked European nations who have rallied behind his country ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin. Mr Trump has said Friday's meeting in Alaska with his Russian counterpart was to discuss ending the more than three-year war. Mr Zelensky responded by thanking European allies and wrote on X on Sunday: 'The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people.' Saturday's statement by top European leaders emphasising that peace cannot be achieved without Kyiv's involvement came after the White House confirmed the US president was willing to grant Mr Putin the one-on-one meeting Russia has long pushed for, and suggestions from Mr Trump that a peace deal could include 'some swapping of territories'. This raised fears Kyiv may be pressured into giving up land or accepting other curbs on its sovereignty. A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not allowed to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that Mr Trump remained open to a trilateral summit with both the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, but for now, he will have a bilateral meeting requested by Mr Putin. Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance on Saturday met top European and Ukrainian officials at the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy's weekend residence to discuss how to end the war. Mr Trump had earlier said he would meet Mr Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Mr Zelensky. The Trump-Putin meeting may prove pivotal in a war that began when Russia invaded its western neighbour and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, although there is no guarantee it will stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace. Saturday's statement, signed by the president of the European Union and leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Finland, stressed the need for a 'just and lasting peace' for Kyiv, including 'robust and credible' security guarantees. 'Ukraine has the freedom of choice over its own destiny. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities,' the statement said. 'The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force,' the Europeans added. A month-long US-led push to achieve a truce in Ukraine has so far proved fruitless, with Kyiv agreeing in principle while the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking. Mr Trump had also moved up an ultimatum to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil if the Kremlin did not move toward a settlement. The deadline was Friday. The White House did not answer questions on Saturday about possible sanctions. The Kremlin earlier this week reiterated demands that Ukraine gives up territory, abandons its bid to join Nato, and accepts limits on its military, in exchange for a withdrawal of Russian troops from the rest of the country. Mr Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukraine 'will not give Russia any awards for what it has done' and that 'Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier'. Ukrainian officials previously told the AP privately that Kyiv would be amenable to a peace deal that would de facto recognise Ukraine's inability to regain lost territories militarily. But Mr Zelensky on Saturday insisted that formally ceding land was out of the question.

Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Airdrops continue over Gaza Strip as Israel faces growing condemnation over military expansion plan
Foreign nations continued airdropping aid in Gaza on Sunday following Israel's announcement of its plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the war.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Demonstrators seeking release of Gaza hostages to march in London as Middle East tensions grip UK
LONDON (AP) — Police in London braced for another day of demonstrations on Sunday as the war in Gaza continues to inflame tensions across the United Kingdom. Demonstrators demanding the immediate release of all the remaining hostages in Gaza plan to march through central London to the prime minister's residence at No. 10 Downing Street on Sunday afternoon. The march comes a day after police arrested 474 people at a protest in support of a banned pro-Palestinian organization. Among those expected to attend the rally is Noga Guttman, a cousin of 24-year-old hostage Evyatar David, who was featured in a video that enraged Israelis when it was released by Hamas militants last week. The video showed an emaciated David saying he is digging his own grave inside a tunnel in Gaza. Hamas-led militants kidnapped 251 people when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 50 of the hostages still haven't been released, of whom 20 are thought to be alive. Israel last week announced its intention to occupy Gaza City as part of a plan to end the war and bring the captives home. Family members and many international leaders have condemned the plan, saying it would lead to more bloodshed and endanger the hostages. 'We are united in one clear and urgent demand: the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,' Stop the Hate, a coalition of groups organizing the march, said in a statement. 'Regardless of our diverse political views, this is not a political issue — it is a human one.' On Saturday, police arrested hundreds of people in central London as demonstrators sought to pressure the government to overturn its decision to ban the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. Legislation passed last month makes it a crime to publicly support the group. The Metropolitan Police Service said it arrested 466 people for supporting Palestine Action. A further eight were arrested on other charges, including assaults on police officers. The government banned Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged two tanker planes to protest British support for the war in Gaza. Palestine Action had previously targeted Israeli defense contractors and other sites in Britain that they believe have links with the Israeli military. Supporters of Palestine Action are challenging the ban in court, saying the government has gone too far in declaring a direct action group a terrorist organization.