Israel approves plan to conquer Gaza City, calls up reservists

Israel’s defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire.

Defence Minister Israel Katz’s move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response on their latest proposal.

While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its…