Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has approved the military's battle plans for the Gaza Strip following a meeting with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior officials on Thursday. Katz stated that military pressure is influencing Hamas's stance and reaffirmed that operations will continue until hostages are freed.
His decision comes as the death toll in Gaza has risen to 49,617 since October 7, 2023, with 112,950 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
Following Israel's breach of the ceasefire on March 18, 506 people have been killed in just two days, including nearly 200 infants. Another 909 have been wounded, with 303 of them being children.
