Israel's security cabinet has approved plans to take over Gaza City in the north of the enclave. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced the plans after senior security cabinet officials convened for hours late on Thursday and into the early hours of Friday to debate the controversial issue.
The decision marks another significant escalation in Israel's 22-month long military offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has already killed at least 61,258 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.