ERROL:
00:00:00
We jump now to the Middle East, where Israel's military says its chief of staff has approved what it calls the main framework for a new offensive in Gaza. This comes days after Israel announced it would launch a new military operation to fully seize control of Gaza City. And in just the past hour, a Hamas official tells the AFP News Agency that Israeli forces are carrying out what they describe as aggressive incursions into the city. CBS News Middle East Reporter Courtney Kealy is following these developments and joins us now from our DC bureau. Good morning, Courtney. So on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced this new plan. Tell us what it includes now that the main framework of it has been approved and apparently it's underway. Well, what's interesting is that Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, who's the chief of staff, had been very vocal about his opposition to any new military plan. And that set off the far right Knesset member Itamar Ben Gvir, saying he should be removed. So for now, he's the chief of staff. For now, the main framework has been approved. And we're seeing incursion into Gaza City on the outskirts where this main plan says it's going to all take place, where they're going to move in. And that would mean they would have 25% more occupation of Gaza, which really would lead to the IDF occupying all of it, according to Prime Minister Netanyahu's plans that require calling up reservists and making sure the troops are ready after this very long war continues. So that's all some of what Zamir was worried about. But right now, we're hearing that there has been an incursion and that they killed militants. That's all they're saying. This was an area that Hamas had been decimated, apparently. But now we're hearing that Hamas militants there have been killed, and we're waiting to hear the number. But it looks like the mainframe of the operation has been approved. And that might not be related to this operation. But we have to see if they're going to say that this operation is the beginning or not. And what risks does this operation provide? And where do we go from here as far as a ceasefire and hostage release agreement? Right, so everybody is worried about the hostages staying alive if there's a military incursion, that somehow they could be killed by friendly IDF fire. The other are the mothers and the family members of reservists who have really been depleted in numbers and in terms of just constant rotations. So how much military-- how much fatigue is within the military? How much can they really carry this out? And then, thirdly, Qatar has been involved in talks again. Israel is looking to maybe send a delegation there later this week. We're keeping eyes on that. All right, Courtney Kealy with the latest. Thank you, Courtney.
