The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it had initiated “extensive strikes” as part of a renewed offensive in Gaza, following reports from rescue services of 100 fatalities in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
The army stated via Telegram that it had commenced the “initial stages” of the offensive, designated Operation Gideon’s Chariots.
In a post in Arabic, the army indicated that the operation was part of “the expansion of the battle in the Gaza Strip, with the objective of achieving all the war’s goals, including the release of the abducted and the defeat of Hamas.”
A separate statement issued in English conveyed that the army was “mobilizing troops to achieve operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip.”
Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that Israeli strikes on Gaza on Friday resulted in 100 deaths, while the Israeli army stated that its forces had “struck over 150 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip” within a 24-hour period.
Israel resumed its military offensive in Gaza on March 18th, following a two-month truce in its conflict with Hamas, which was initiated by an attack by the Palestinian group in October 2023.
The latest operation occurs as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces increasing pressure to ease a comprehensive aid blockade on Gaza, with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) warning of critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel, and medical supplies.
The resumption of hostilities since March 18th has drawn international condemnation, with the UN’s rights chief on Friday denouncing the renewed attacks and what he described as an apparent effort to permanently displace the population.
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