Israel's security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City, a move expanding military operations in the shattered Palestinian territory that drew strong fresh criticism at home and abroad on Friday over its pursuit of the almost two-year-old war.

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.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said “this further escalation will result in more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction."