The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it had initiated “extensive strikes” as part of a new offensive in Gaza, following reports from rescuers of 100 Palestinian deaths in the blockaded territory.
The army stated on Telegram that the “initial stages” of the offensive, dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots, were underway.
According to a post in Arabic, the operation aims to “expand the battle in the Gaza Strip, to achieve all the war’s objectives, including the release of the abducted and the defeat of Hamas.”
A separate statement in English, reported by AFP, indicated that the army was “mobilising troops to achieve operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip.”
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli strikes on Friday killed 100 people, while the Israeli army said its forces had “struck over 150 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip” in the preceding 24 hours.
Israel recommenced its military offensive in Gaza on March 18 after a two-month truce in its conflict with Hamas, which was triggered by an attack by the Palestinian group in October 2023.
This latest operation occurs as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure to ease a comprehensive aid blockade on Gaza, with NGOs warning of critical shortages of essential resources.
The resumption of fighting since March 18 has drawn international condemnation. The UN’s rights chief on Friday denounced the renewed attacks and what he described as an apparent effort to permanently displace the population, stating that it could be “tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”
A leading Israeli campaign group representing hostage families argued that by prolonging the fighting, Netanyahu was missing a “historic opportunity” for diplomatic solutions to secure the release of their loved ones.
Hamas on Friday demanded that the United States pressure Israel to lift the aid blockade in exchange for a US-Israeli hostage held by the group.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday the severe food shortages in Gaza and stated, “We’re looking at Gaza. And we’re going to get that taken care of.”
The Arab League is scheduled to meet in Baghdad on Saturday to discuss regional crises, with the situation in Gaza expected to be a major topic. UN chief Antonio Guterres will attend the summit, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a vocal critic of Israel’s Gaza offensive, is also expected to address the gathering.
The Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, resulted in 1,218 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians. Of the 251 hostages taken, 57 remain in Gaza, with the military stating that 34 of them are dead.
The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza reported that 2,985 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to 53,119.
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