Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir, has formally endorsed a detailed plan to seize Gaza City, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan and Channel 12 reported. The operation, expected to last about four months, still requires final sign-off from Defence Minister Israel Katz and the security cabinet. Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban centre, is home to roughly 740,000 residents; Israeli assessments cited by local media warn that more than one million Palestinians could be forced south toward Rafah as troops advance. Preparations for the assault include the distribution of tents and other shelter equipment through the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to the army’s Arabic-language spokesman. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had consulted Katz and Zamir on “completing the mission” in Gaza and reiterated that Israel would press ahead until its war objectives are met. The looming ground push comes as cease-fire diplomacy intensifies. Hamas has informed Egyptian and Qatari mediators that it now accepts a U.S.-backed proposal featuring a 60-day suspension of hostilities and a phased swap of Palestinian prisoners for roughly half of the Israeli captives still held in Gaza. Israeli officials acknowledged the pressure from mediators but said the government will not agree to a partial deal, insisting on the unconditional release of all hostages and full compliance with its terms before any comprehensive halt to the war is considered.