File Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement in Jerusalem. AFP
The call for renewed talks came a day after the defence ministry approved a plan authorising the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists to to help occupy Gaza City -- home to nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians reeling under Israel's 22-month-long war on Gaza.
"I have come to approve the IDF's (military's) plans to take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas," the prime minister claimed in a video statement filmed during a visit to the Gaza division's headquarters in Israel.
"At the same time, I have instructed to immediately begin negotiations for the release of all our hostages and the end of the war under conditions acceptable to Israel."
Meditators -- Cairo and Doha -- have been waiting for two days for an official Israeli response to their latest ceasefire proposal, which Hamas accepted earlier this week.
Qatar said the latest proposal was "almost identical" to an earlier version approved by Israel, while Egypt said Monday that "the ball is now in its (Israel's) court".
On Wednesday, Hamas lambasted the plans to take control of Gaza City, saying in a statement it showed its "blatant disregard" for efforts to broker a ceasefire and captive release deal.
Despite agreeing to an earlier version of the deal, Israel has now insisted that any deal see all the captives freed at once.
Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP this week that the latest ceasefire proposal calls for the release of 10 captives and 18 bodies from Gaza.
The remaining captives would be released in a second phase alongside talks for a wider settlement.
Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 48 people were killed on Thursday by Israeli attacks in various areas across the Palestinian territory, including several casualties in an air strike in Gaza City.
Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 62,122 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry, which added on Thursday that the number of deaths from starvation under Israel's five-month blockade has risen to 271, including 112 children.
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