"We will take control of Gaza, even if Hamas accepted the truce agreement, we will do it anyway. There was never any doubt, we will not leave Hamas there."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the day the first phase of the occupation of Gaza City began.

"This war," Netanyahu added, "could end today, if Hamas lays down its weapons and frees the remaining 50 hostages ." The prime minister then maintained that his goal is not "to occupy Gaza, but to free it from the tyranny of Hamas," and "I think we are close to achieving that."

The Israeli military, meanwhile, has informed medical personnel and humanitarian groups in northern Gaza to begin developing plans for the evacuation of civilians to the south , ahead of the military offensive to conquer the area. This week, Israeli military officials informed "medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to prepare for the evacuation of the population to the southern Gaza Strip," according to a statement released by the military.

"We have begun preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack. Our troops are already controlling the outskirts of the city," said IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin in an official statement.

Meanwhile, deaths continue to rise in the Strip: at least 40 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since the early hours of this morning, eight of them while waiting for aid.

And Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein attacks Giorgia Meloni : "Her silence on what is happening in Gaza is shameful for Italy . We cannot continue to sacrifice the dignity of our country on the altar of Meloni, Tajani, and Salvini's friendship with Trump and Netanyahu. Faced with the criminal occupation of Gaza and Netanyahu's ministers declaring the death of the prospect of a Palestinian state , will Meloni still say that recognizing Palestine would be premature? What is she waiting for, until there is nothing left to recognize? "

(Unioneonline/L)

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