Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says the intensive phase of his country's offensive in the Gaza Strip will soon be over and the military will move on to the next phase.

Gallant said in a news conference on Monday that the war plan he originally presented to the Cabinet had called for the intensive maneuvering stage to last approximately three months.

He said this phase had ended in the northern part of the strip and will soon end in the south as well.

The minister added that "in both places, the moment will come when we will move to the next phase."

He indicated that the military is expected to cut back its offensive and focus on targeting senior Hamas officials.

The Israeli leadership is facing pressures at home and abroad. It has been accused of genocide in the International Court of Justice over its operations in Gaza.

There are growing calls for a truce in an effort to realize the return of hostages taken by Hamas, even from cabinet members.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that the military campaign will continue until Hamas is destroyed.

In the war-torn strip, Israeli forces carried out another set of offensives on Tuesday. Local media outlets say 11 civilians were killed in an attack on a residential building in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Health authorities in Gaza say a total of 24,285 people have been killed since the fighting began last October.