This has led to deaths of at least 100 persons in a single day, according to the Gaza authorities.

The Israeli military has launched a new phase of its campaign in Gaza, intensifying operations under a renewed offensive named Operation Gideon’s Chariots.

This has led to deaths of at least 100 persons in a single day, according to the Gaza authorities.

Since Israel resumed its military operations on March 18, the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza reports that 2,985 people have been killed. This brings the total death toll from the conflict to 53,119.

In a statement shared on Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the move as the “initial stages” of an expanded military effort aimed at fulfilling the objectives of the ongoing war — namely, dismantling Hamas and securing the release of hostages still held in Gaza.

“The operation is part of the expansion of the battle in the Gaza Strip, with the goal of achieving all the war’s objectives, including the release of the abducted and the defeat of Hamas,” the IDF stated in an Arabic-language post.

A corresponding statement in English emphasised that the army was “mobilising troops to achieve operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip,” underscoring a likely push for broader territorial gains.

The latest military escalation follows the resumption of hostilities on March 18, after a two-month ceasefire.

The truce had temporarily halted fighting that began in October 2023, when a surprise attack by Hamas triggered Israel’s full-scale military response.

On Friday, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 people in a single day.

The IDF, for its part, said it had struck more than 150 “terror targets” across the territory within 24 hours.

As the operation intensifies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing domestic and international pressure to ease a sweeping blockade that has severely restricted humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Humanitarian organisations have warned of catastrophic shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies, and fuel. The worsening conditions have prompted urgent appeals for the reopening of aid corridors and a cessation of hostilities.

International condemnation has also surged. On Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced the renewed offensive, warning that the scale and nature of the attacks — combined with the continued blockade — may signal an attempt to forcibly displace Gaza’s civilian population.

The rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, coupled with ongoing military operations, has deepened concerns over the fate of civilians trapped in the enclave.
With no clear path to a ceasefire, the conflict appears set to enter an even more perilous stage.
On October 7, 2023, a large-scale attack by Hamas resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals in Israel, the majority of whom were civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli sources.
During the assault, 251 people were taken hostage. As of now, 57 remain in captivity in Gaza, with the Israeli military reporting that 34 of them are believed to have died.