Rescuers say 100 dead as Israel launches fresh Gaza offensive
The army stated on Telegram that it had entered the "initial phases" of the operation, which is named Operation Gideon's Chariots.
On Saturday, the Israeli military announced it had initiated "extensive strikes" as part of a new offensive in Gaza, following reports from rescue teams that 100 people had been killed in the blockaded Palestinian area.
The army stated on Telegram that it had entered the "initial phases" of the operation, which is named Operation Gideon's Chariots.
The operation was part of a broader campaign to escalate the conflict in the Gaza Strip, aiming to fulfill all wartime objectives, including rescuing hostages and defeating Hamas, according to a statement in Arabic.
In a separate message in English, the military announced it was deploying forces to establish operational control over key areas within the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s civil defense reported that Israeli airstrikes had resulted in 100 casualties on Friday, while the military stated it had targeted more than 150 terror sites across Gaza within a 24-hour period.
On March 18, Israel restarted its military campaign in Gaza following a two-month ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Hamas, which began after the Palestinian group’s attack in October 2023.
This renewed offensive occurs amid growing pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the extensive aid blockade on Gaza, with humanitarian organizations warning of severe shortages in food, clean water, fuel, and medical supplies.
Since the resurgence of fighting on March 18, there has been widespread international criticism.
On Friday, the UN's human rights chief condemned the renewed violence and highlighted what appears to be a deliberate effort to forcibly remove the local population permanently.
Volker Turk stated that the recent heavy bombing and refusal to allow humanitarian aid seem to indicate an effort to create a lasting demographic change in Gaza, which violates international law and amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Meanwhile, the leading Israeli organization representing hostage families criticized Netanyahu, saying that prolonging the conflict means losing a rare chance to secure their loved ones’ release through diplomatic means.
On Friday, Hamas called on the United States to pressure Israel into lifting the aid blockade, proposing this as a condition for the release of a US-Israeli hostage held by the group.
Edan Alexander, the final American hostage still in captivity, was released last week following direct negotiations led by the Trump administration, which notably excluded Israel from the process.
According to senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu, as part of the agreement with Washington surrounding Alexander's release, the group is "anticipating and hoping the US government will increase pressure" on Israel to "reopen the crossings and enable the swift delivery of humanitarian assistance."
Israel states that its decision to halt aid to Gaza aims to pressure Hamas into making concessions, as the group continues to hold dozens of Israeli hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump acknowledged that "a lot of people are starving" in the blockaded Palestinian territory of Gaza.
"We’re monitoring the situation in Gaza, and we will address it," Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi during a regional tour that notably excluded Israel, a key US ally.
Meanwhile, the Arab League is set to convene in Baghdad on Saturday to discuss ongoing regional crises, with Gaza expected to be a major focus.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will attend the summit, alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s Gaza offensive.
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack led to 1,218 deaths on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data.
Out of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 57 remain captive in Gaza, with the military reporting that 34 have died.
Since Israel resumed airstrikes on March 18, the Hamas-run health ministry reports that 2,985 people have died in Gaza, bringing the overall death toll of the conflict to 53,119.
