At least 100 people were confirmed dead following a renewed Israeli military offensive in Gaza, with the Israeli Defense Forces confirming the launch of a wide-scale campaign titled Operation Gideon’s Chariots on Saturday.
According to the AFP, the IDF operation marks an escalation in the ongoing conflict aimed at achieving what it described as “all the war’s objectives,” including the elimination of Hamas and the release of hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Civil Defence reported that the airstrikes on Friday alone resulted in the deaths of 100 individuals, while Israel claimed it had targeted more than 150 “terror sites” within a 24-hour period.
“This is the initial stage of a broader push to secure control over key areas in Gaza,” the Israeli army stated via Telegram.
The conflict, which reignited on March 18 following a two-month pause, has continued to attract widespread condemnation, especially over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, issued a strong rebuke of the renewed bombardments, suggesting that the military actions and blockade of essential supplies amounted to ethnic cleansing.
“This latest barrage of bombs and the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance suggest an intention to permanently alter Gaza’s demographic composition, in defiance of international law,” Turk said in a statement on Friday.
Meanwhile, internal political pressure is mounting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with hostage families accusing him of jeopardizing their chances of recovering loved ones through diplomatic means.
“The government is missing a historic opportunity to secure the release of the remaining hostages,” said a representative of a leading advocacy group for families of abductees.
One notable development occurred with the recent release of Edan Alexander, the last remaining American-Israeli hostage, which reportedly came about through direct negotiations with the Trump administration, sidelining the Israeli government.
Following the release, senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu urged Washington to pressure Israel into reopening Gaza’s border crossings for the delivery of humanitarian aid.
“We are waiting for the U.S. administration to act in accordance with its commitment and ensure that the crossings are opened immediately,” al-Nunu said.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently on a regional diplomatic tour, acknowledged the dire situation in Gaza during remarks in Abu Dhabi.
“A lot of people are starving,” Trump said, pledging that the situation “will be taken care of.”
The Arab League is scheduled to convene in Baghdad on Saturday to deliberate on the crisis, with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expected to participate.
The October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, which triggered the ongoing war, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, most of them civilians. Since hostilities resumed in March, the Hamas-run Health Ministry reports that nearly 3,000 people have died, bringing the total death toll to over 53,000.
Of the 251 individuals kidnapped during the initial attack, 57 remain in captivity, with 34 presumed dead according to the Israeli military.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with critical shortages of food, water, fuel, and medical supplies reported across the territory.
