Israel has launched a new ground operation in Gaza after recent airstrikes

On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced the resumption of ground operations in the central and southern regions of the Gaza Strip. This development followed a second day of airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of at least 48 Palestinians, as reported by local health officials.

These renewed ground actions occurred just a day after airstrikes claimed the lives of over 400 Palestinians, marking one of the most lethal incidents since the conflict escalated in October 2023, effectively ending a ceasefire that had been largely maintained since January.

The Israeli military stated that these operations aimed to extend Israel’s control over the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza, and were described as a “focused” effort to establish a partial buffer zone between the northern and southern parts of the territory. In response, the Palestinian militant group Hamas condemned the ground operation and the incursion into the Netzarim Corridor as a “new and dangerous violation” of the ceasefire agreement that has been in place for two months. They reiterated their commitment to the agreement and urged mediators to fulfill their responsibilities.

The United Nations reported that a strike resulted in the death of a foreign staff member and injuries to five others at a U.N. facility in central Gaza City on Wednesday. While Gaza’s health ministry attributed the strike to Israel, the Israeli military denied this claim, asserting that they targeted a Hamas site where preparations for attacks on Israeli territory were detected. Jorge Moreira da Silva, the executive director of the U.N. Office for Project Services, emphasized that Israel was aware it was striking a U.N. compound, a well-known location where people lived and worked.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a thorough investigation and condemned all assaults on U.N. personnel. He noted that the recent strike raised the death toll of U.N. colleagues in Gaza to at least 280 since October 7, 2023. Additionally, the Bulgarian foreign ministry reported that a Bulgarian national working for the U.N. was killed in Gaza on Wednesday, according to preliminary information.

US STATES ‘BRIDGE’ PROPOSAL REMAINS AVAILABLE

Yosef Levi Sfari, Israel’s ambassador to Sofia, expressed his condolences for the death of a Bulgarian citizen and noted in a social media update that an investigation is underway. He mentioned that an initial assessment revealed “no connection” to Israeli military operations. Israel, committed to eliminating Hamas, declared on Tuesday that its recent military actions in Gaza are “just the beginning.”

The U.S. State Department attributed the resurgence of violence to Hamas and indicated that a U.S.-developed “bridge” proposal is still available to extend the ceasefire and facilitate the release of hostages held by the group in Gaza. A State Department spokesperson remarked, “The opportunity is still there, but it’s closing fast,” emphasizing that Hamas’ reaction was “totally unacceptable” and reaffirming U.S. support for Israel.

In the latest escalation, local health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike in Beit Hanoun, a town in the northern Gaza Strip, resulted in four fatalities and ten injuries. Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military issued renewed evacuation orders for residents in the area.

In Beit Lahiya, an Israeli airstrike reportedly killed 24 individuals at a mourning tent, according to medical sources. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the truce, which had provided a temporary reprieve for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents after 17 months of conflict that devastated the region and forced many to evacuate repeatedly.

Palestinian health authorities report that the Israeli campaign has resulted in over 49,000 deaths in Gaza, leading to a humanitarian crisis characterized by severe shortages of food, fuel, and water. Israel has accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields, a claim that Hamas denies, instead accusing Israel of conducting indiscriminate bombings.

This conflict, the most catastrophic in decades of Israeli-Palestinian tensions, was ignited by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli estimates.

PROTESTS IN ISRAEL

The decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume airstrikes has sparked protests across Israel, as 59 hostages remain captive in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive. A coalition of families of the hostages and critics of Netanyahu have come together, accusing the prime minister of exploiting the conflict for political gain.

Palestinian medical personnel reported that Israeli tank fire on the main Salahuddin Road, which runs north to south in Gaza, resulted in one Palestinian death and several injuries. Witnesses indicated that Israeli military actions in the area have discouraged both pedestrians and vehicles from using the road.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua informed Reuters that the closure of the Salahuddin Road represents a “total coup” against the three-phase ceasefire agreement and further tightens the blockade on Gaza. He expressed that the group would be open to any proposals, provided they focus on initiating negotiations for the second phase and achieving a complete cessation of hostilities in Gaza.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military distributed leaflets in both the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip, once again instructing residents to evacuate their homes. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated in a video message that if the hostages are not released, “Israel will respond with unprecedented force.”

The resurgence of violence has drawn condemnation from several Western nations, including France and Germany, as well as from Qatar and Egypt, who have been mediating the ceasefire discussions. Jordan’s King Abdullah urged for the restoration of the ceasefire and the resumption of humanitarian aid, describing Israel’s renewed attacks on Gaza as an extremely perilous development during his visit to Paris for discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.