Mathias Busekist
Israel has launched a major new offensive in Gaza it says is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing hostages.
Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza with a major new offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeing hostages, triggering sharp criticism from the United Nations and humanitarian groups who warn that civilians are paying the highest price.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it had launched “extensive attacks” and mobilized ground forces to seize strategic positions as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, marking what it called the beginning of an expanded campaign to “defeat Hamas and secure the release of hostages.”
Since Thursday, at least 262 people have been killed and more than 675 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. The Ministry also reported that the total Palestinian death toll since the conflict began in October 2023 has surpassed 53,000—most of them women and children.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the escalation in a statement Saturday, calling the humanitarian situation in Gaza “beyond inhumane” and urging an immediate end to the siege. “A policy of siege and starvation makes a mockery of international law,” he said. “This is a moment for moral clarity and action.”
Despite the surge in violence, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed Saturday in Doha, Qatar. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his team to remain in Doha to pursue what an official described as the “full exhaustion of all efforts” to secure the hostages’ release.
The renewed offensive follows Netanyahu’s announcement that his government had approved a broader military plan, including the displacement of Gaza’s population to the south. One Israeli minister described the operation as part of a strategy to “conquer” Gaza.
On the ground, the situation has grown increasingly dire. Dr. Munir Al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, said intense bombardments had disabled critical medical equipment, including ventilators. Displaced resident Raed Radwan described the earth shaking from continuous explosions and said many families who couldn’t flee earlier were now on the move—if they could afford to.
“Prices have soared. Food is scarce. Transport south is now out of reach for many,” Radwan said. “People are leaving everything behind.”
From the Al-Nasr neighborhood, Nael Rahmi offered a bleak summary: “The situation in Gaza is heartbreaking—beyond imagination. People are fleeing with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”
The Biden administration has not yet commented publicly on the latest escalation, though President Donald Trump concluded a Middle East visit this week without securing a ceasefire.
As the violence deepens, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to spiral, with international pressure mounting for a pause in fighting and immediate access for aid.