Israel says it will begin Gaza City military takeover in mid-September: report

Israel is now expected to launch its full-scale military takeover of Gaza City in mid-September — two weeks after newly called-up reservists report for duty.

In anticipation of the upcoming offensive, 1 million Palestinians currently in Gaza City will be ordered to evacuate as soon as Sunday, Channel 12 network said, according to the Times of Israel.

More than 60,000 army reservists are set to report for duty on Sept. 2, after they were called up to serve in the next phase of Israel’s war against Hamas.

The mission will see the Israeli Defense Forces march into Gaza City in an attempt to finally topple the terror group and secure the release of the remaining hostages.

Israeli Defense Minister Katz warned Friday the “gates of hell” would open up to destroy Gaza City if Hamas didn’t agree to the Jewish state’s terms for a cease-fire.

“Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas’s murderers and rapists in Gaza – until they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war, primarily the release of all hostages and their disarmament,” Katz threatened on X.

An estimated 50 Israelis remain in Hamas captivity, with about 30 presumed dead and 20 believed to still be alive.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top Israeli politicians want to fast-track the offensive, according to the report, which cites Tel Aviv officials who view freeing the hostages as “urgent” due to their increasingly dire condition in Gaza.

The military, however, is still reportedly insisting on evacuating Gaza City civilians and gaining international legitimacy for the operation before it begins.

Hamas told mediators earlier this week it had accepted a partial cease-fire deal to release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others in exchange for a 60-day truce — after balking a partial truce last month.

Netanyahu is demanding all of remaining hostages be released in any deal to end the war.

Despite the impasse, Israel is planning to send negotiators to renewed hostage, cease-fire talks in the coming days, according to Channel 12.

The network said the new talks will take place outside Doha, Qatar or Cairo, Egypt this time, and that discussions are underway to set a time and location — after the US and Israel pulled their teams from Doha last month.

Israel officials believe the looming Gaza City operation is putting significant pressure on Hamas, potentially increasing their willingness to negotiate, according to the report.

Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday, a now weekly occurrence, demanding the Netanyahu government strike a deal to free the captives, while warning the planned surge on Gaza City will endanger the remaining hostages.

“Expanding the fighting only puts them and all the hostages at even greater risk,” said Liran Berman, whose brothers Gali and Ziv Berman were abducted by Hamas, Times of Israel reported. “There is a deal on the table. But deals do not last forever, their windows close fast and hard.

“This may be the last chance to save lives and to bring the fallen back.”