Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip (Archive – Reuters)

Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Wednesday that “the Israeli army is currently encircling Gaza City, with estimates indicating that the military operation will not be quick.”

The channel quoted sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying: “We are trying to avoid a full-scale war, but American officials tell us to seize the opportunity to destroy Hamas, yet we understand that time is limited.”

This comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinian factions, and rising humanitarian concerns in the Gaza Strip, which suffers from increasing blockade and widespread infrastructure destruction due to previous military operations.