Netanyahu Approves Gaza City Takeover Plan, Renewed Hostage Negotiations

The Israeli military has already begun mobilizing 60,000 reservists and the initial steps in a plan to take over Gaza City.
Netanyahu Approves Gaza City Takeover Plan, Renewed Hostage Negotiations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference at the Prime minister's office in Jerusalem on Aug. 10, 2025. ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Aug. 21 announced he’s giving final approval for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) proposal to take control of Gaza City, and had also approved renewed negotiations to free Israeli hostages held by terrorist group Hamas in Gaza and bring the state of armed conflict there to a close.

“We’re at the decisive stage. I came today to the Gaza Division in order to approve the plans that the IDF presented to me and to the defense minister for taking control of Gaza City and defeating Hamas,” Netanyahu said in a recorded statement.