Israel’s military is increasing pressure on the Palestinian militant group Hamas with an encirclement of Gaza City.

According to the Guardian and the New York Times on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces(IDF) is mobilizing armored vehicles and ground troops to advance toward the city center from the north and south of Salah al-Din Road.

Based on satellite photos and videos analyzed by the Times, the Israeli military is also approaching Gaza City from the Mediterranean coastal border area in the northwestern part of the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, despite international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there will be no cessation as it would be “equivalent to surrendering to Hamas and terrorism.”

The prime minister added that while the second phase of the offensive from the air continues, the third phase will see the IDF expanding its ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

According to Gaza health officials, over eight-thousand-300 people are dead in Gaza, including more than three-thousand-400 children, while Israel has reported one-thousand-400 Israelis have been killed since the October 7th attack.