Israel prepares for Gaza City operation while pressuring Hamas toward comprehensive deal

In preparation for the start of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, the IDF has begun repositioning units in the Gaza Strip. 

On Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that troops from the 401st Brigade, under the command of the 162nd Division, returned to combat in the northern Gaza city of Jabaliya. The soldiers have focused on dismantling Hamas infrastructure and preparing the area for increased IDF control. 

Palestinian sources reported IDF strikes in the Deir al-Balah area around central Gaza that reportedly resulted in the deaths of three people. The sources also reported the destruction of several structures in Jabaliya by IDF combat engineering forces. 

The Saudi news channel al-Hadath reported on Monday morning that a large number of residents were seen evacuating Gaza City overnight, ahead of the expected IDF operations there. 

According to a Channel 12 News report, clear timetables for the start of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II were presented in recent Cabinet discussions. Reservist call-up orders are expected to be completed in early September, with forces reaching full readiness within one to two weeks. Based on this timeline, the IDF could launch the large-scale operation by mid-September.

Channel 12 reported that the Israeli government seeks to expedite the start of the operation, while the IDF emphasized the need for responsibility and discretion. The military also emphasized the need to prepare for the evacuation of the civilian population of Gaza City, planning operations to minimize risk to the hostages, and increasing humanitarian efforts in other parts of the Gaza Strip. 

On Sunday, the IDF announced that it had coordinated the delivery of 111 pallets of aid for airdropping into the enclave, in an operation which involved aid from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Indonesia. 

The Security Cabinet is expected to convene on Tuesday to discuss two important issues: the final approval of the IDF's plan to conquer Gaza City, along with a discussion on the renewal of the hostage-ceasefire negotiations, with the possibility of a comprehensive deal to end the war in the Gaza Strip. 

Currently, there are no active negotiations, but reports in Hebrew media indicate that within the next few days, a new venue will be announced for renewed talks. The talks are expected to be held in a European city or one of the Gulf states, but not Qatar, signaling a shift from the Witkoff proposal to a comprehensive deal that would end the war and secure the return of all Israeli hostages. 

Channel 13 News reported on Sunday evening that, during a visit to the Haifa naval base, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take advantage of the current hostage-ceasefire proposal, citing the risk to the hostages from the Gaza City takeover plan. 

“There's a deal on the table, it's the improved Witkoff plan,” Zamir reportedly said. “It has to be taken. The IDF brought the conditions for a hostage deal; now it's in Netanyahu's hands. There is a great risk to the lives of the captives in the occupation of Gaza City.” 

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed (The New Arab) reported that the Egyptian army has increased its presence on the border with Gaza, fearing humanitarian and military repercussions of the IDF's operation to occupy Gaza City. 

According to that report, Egyptian security forces estimate that IDF activity will force approximately one million Palestinians to flee towards the southern Gaza border, raising concerns that some may attempt to cross into Egypt.

“This scenario is seen in Egypt as a direct threat to national security,” an Egyptian source told the Qatari newspaper. “It would transfer a huge humanitarian and security burden to Sinai and shift the crisis to Egyptian territory. Cairo fears that Israel will exploit the chaos resulting from the war to establish its 'transfer' policy, turning southern Gaza into a temporary staging post before trying to push civilians towards the Rafah crossing.”