IDF chief approves Gaza City offensive plans, says war in ‘decisive stages’

Release of hostages and toppling Hamas

According to the IDF Chief, the two main goals are the release of the hostages and toppling Hamas.

“We are moving toward the next stages in the mission of toppling Hamas rule; that is our objective. We are going to bring down this regime, and nothing will stop us from carrying out the mission,” he said while addressing IDF officers.

“These are the missions of our generation. As I have said in the past, we will attack [Hamas] and pursue it everywhere, in Judea and Samaria (West Bank) and in other places, as we did in the last 24 hours,” he said further.

Lieutenant General Zamir said that they were in the decisive stages of a nearly two-year war. (Photo: IDF)

IDF warns Gaza residents to evacuate

Ahead of the impending operation in Gaza, the IDF said it is dropping large numbers of leaflets as well as sending text messages and recorded warnings to Palestinian civilians to leave the city. This comes a day after the IDF had issued its largest evacuation order yet for Gaza City.

Displaced Palestinians walks through a tent camp in Muwasi, an area that Israel has designated as a safe zone, in Khan Younis southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

More than 64,600 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli operation in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, in retaliation for the Hamas terror attack that claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.

Among the 251 Israelis taken hostage by Hamas during the attack, 48 are still held inside Gaza, out of which only around 20 are believed to be alive.

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