DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he will give final approval for the takeover of Gaza City while also restarting negotiations with Hamas aimed at returning all the remaining hostages and ending the war on Israel's terms.

The wide-scale operation in Gaza City could start within days after Netanyahu grants final approval at a meeting with senior security officials later Thursday. Hamas said earlier this week that it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Arab mediators, which - if accepted by Israel - could forestall the offensive.

The Israeli military has begun calling medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to encourage them to evacuate to the south ahead of the expanded operation. The military pla

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