The Israeli military said that starting from Friday, a local humanitarian pause in military activity will not apply to the area of Gaza City, as it “constitutes a dangerous combat zone”.

Israel’s security cabinet had approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, a move expanding military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory that drew strong criticism at home and abroad over its pursuit of the almost two-year-old war.

Last month, Israel announced a halt in military operations for 10 hours a day in parts of Gaza and new aid corridors as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates airdropped supplies into the enclave.

The Israeli military said on Friday that it “will continue to support humanitarian efforts alongside ongoing maneuvering and offensive operations against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to protect the state of Israel”.

Israel has been facing growing international criticism, which the government rejects, over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and indirect ceasefire talks in Doha between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have broken off with no deal in sight.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said there will be no end to the war until Hamas is disarmed.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, Israel’s offensive has killed over 62,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to Gaza health officials, reduced much of the enclave to ruins and displaced nearly the entire population.

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(Reporting by Lili Bayer and Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Gareth Jones)