00:15, Thu, Aug 21, 2025 Updated: 00:22, Thu, Aug 21, 2025 Israel's military is poised to begin a major ground assault on Gaza City, with thousands of soldiers being deployed as part of "preliminary actions" to occupy the heavily populated civilian area.

Defrin: "Our forces already control the outskirts of the city" • Netanyahu orders to accelerate operations to seize Hamas's final strongholds in Gaza The IDF has begun the first steps of itsinvasion of Gaza City,

ISRAEL has revealed its plans to conquer Gaza City in a final push to wipe out the entirety of Hamas and secure the remaining hostages. Operation Gideon’s Chariots II is set to get underway

Elsewhere, we’re seeing footage online following further overnight attacks in Ukraine - with reports that a fuel and energy site is on fire in the southern port city of Odesa. Our team is also verifying reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on Voronezh in south-west Russia.

Displaced residents of Gaza City are split over a potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that could allow them to return to their homes.

As strikes on Gaza continue, Israel says it is studying what Qatar has, in its role as mediator, described as a "positive response" by Hamas to a ceasefire proposal. Spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry Majid al-Ansari declined to go into the details of the deal,

Palestinian residents of Gaza City have come under relentless Israeli bombardment as the military prepares for a major offensive to seize and ethnically cleanse the area, barring emergency workers from reaching people trapped in the residential Zeitoun neighbourhood.