The military leadership has said it prefers a new cease-fire instead of renewed fighting, and the military’s chief of staff previously raised concerns about troop exhaustion.

BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government will not approve any exports to Israel of military equipment that could be used in the Gaza Strip until further notice, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday in response to Israel's plan to expand its military operations there.

Twenty-two months after Hamas invaded southern Israel and started the war, Israel’s security cabinet voted in favor of occupying Gaza City. The decision came after the conclusion of Operation Gideon’s Chariots,