JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he had ordered the beginning of immediate negotiations to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. The announcement comes a day after the defense ministry approved a plan authorizing the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists to help capture Hamas’s last major strongholds in Gaza City. “I have come to approve the IDF’s (military’s) plans to take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas,” the prime minister said in a video statement during a visit with the Gaza division.

The ‘timeline for conquering the last terrorist strongholds and defeating Hamas’ should be shortened, Netanyahu’s office said.

"Sono venuto ad approvare i piani dell'Idf per la conquista di Gaza city e la sconfitta di Hamas. (ANSA)