A day after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his Middle East tour without visiting Israel, the Israeli government launched a large-scale military campaign in the Gaza Strip aimed at pressuring Hamas to release remaining hostages.
The offensive, dubbed Operation Gideon Chariots, was announced by Defense Minister Israel Katz, who stated the campaign was being carried out with “great force.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the sentiment, reiterating Israel’s objective to dismantle Hamas, the Islamist group that has governed Gaza for nearly 20 years.
This latest escalation follows a week of relentless airstrikes that have already killed hundreds. Hopes had been pinned on Trump’s regional visit to facilitate a ceasefire or open avenues for humanitarian relief into Gaza, where the population has endured a months-long blockade.
Negotiations in Doha between Israeli and Hamas representatives remain stalled. Despite Hamas releasing an Israeli-American hostage ahead of Trump’s arrival in the Gulf, talks have made no headway. Hamas continues to demand a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal—terms Israel flatly rejects.
The Israeli military, through official social media channels, declared it was increasing pressure on Hamas through expanded attacks and vowed to continue operations until the hostages are recovered and Hamas is dismantled.
Death Toll and Strikes
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 150 Palestinians were killed in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the death toll since the March 18 breakdown of the January ceasefire to over 3,000.
Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza confirmed that four children were killed and seven others wounded in an Israeli strike on a house in the Jabaliya refugee camp on Saturday. A separate strike in the same area reportedly killed four more individuals. Meanwhile, in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah, airstrikes killed 14 people, including an entire family of six—two parents and their four children.
The Israeli military did not comment directly on these individual strikes but reported it had eliminated dozens of militants and dismantled a network of underground tunnels in northern Gaza.
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Ongoing Blockade and Humanitarian Concerns
Gaza remains under a crippling blockade that has entered its third month, with no access to food, water, fuel, or essential supplies for its 2 million residents. International food security experts warn of imminent famine unless the siege is lifted.
Earlier this week, a newly established aid initiative backed by the U.S., the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, announced plans to begin distributing relief before the month’s end. The group, led by American military veterans and former humanitarian coordinators, claims to have secured key agreements with Israeli authorities.
However, major aid organizations, including the United Nations, have declined to participate. U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher stated on Friday that a distribution plan with 160,000 pallets of aid is “ready to be activated — today — if we are simply allowed to do our jobs.”
Background: A War with Deepening Toll
The ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. In retaliation, Israel launched an extensive military campaign that has now killed over 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Many of the dead are women and children. The Ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its reporting.
As tensions escalate and diplomacy stalls, the situation in Gaza remains dire—marked by devastation, humanitarian paralysis, and an uncertain future.
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