Israel’s Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, has endorsed a two-phase plan to seize Gaza City, the largest population centre in the enclave that remains outside Israeli ground control. Public broadcaster Kan and Channel 12 said the blueprint was approved at a special command meeting on 17 August and is now awaiting formal sign-off by Defence Minister Israel Katz, expected on Tuesday, before going to the security cabinet. The operation calls for roughly 80,000 troops to encircle Gaza City and then push in gradually under heavy air cover. Military planners estimate the campaign will take about four months. A large-scale evacuation is to begin up to 15 days before the ground assault, with residents ordered to move south. Israeli officials have briefed U.S. counterparts on the timetable, according to Kan. Humanitarian agencies and regional governments warned of a new wave of displacement. The United Nations says 86 percent of Gaza is already subject to evacuation orders or active combat zones. Hamas labelled the plan a genocidal policy, while Egypt and Iran denounced any forced relocation of Palestinians. News of the offensive sparked some of the largest anti-government demonstrations since the war began. Tens of thousands rallied in Tel Aviv and at more than 300 other locations across Israel, demanding a cease-fire deal that would secure the release of the 49 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza. Protesters argue the assault could further endanger the captives. The proposed ground push comes as cease-fire talks remain stalled and Israeli strikes continue across the strip. Gaza’s Health Ministry puts the Palestinian death toll at more than 61,800 since October 2023, roughly half of them women and children.