Tel Aviv, Aug. 21 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (local time) said that he is going to approve the military's plan to take over Gaza City, while instructing them to begin negotiations for the release of all hostages, Times of Israel reported.

Netanyahu delivered the statement in a pre-recorded message filmed outside the Israel Defence Force's Gaza Division headquarters, where he was meeting with defence officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, to approve the proposal.

"I came today to the Gaza Division in order to approve the plans that the IDF presented to me and to the defense minister for taking control of Gaza City and for defeating Hamas," Netanyahu said. "At the same time, I instructed to begin...