Israel Expands Military Operations in Gaza

The Israeli government has decided to intensify its military operations in the Gaza Strip against the Hamas organization. This decision was unanimously approved during a meeting of the Security Cabinet led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as reported by various Israeli media outlets citing high-ranking officials.

The aim of this escalation is to increase pressure on Hamas to facilitate the release of additional hostages. Reports indicate that this intensified military strategy will likely be implemented after the upcoming visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to the region next week. In the interim, efforts are underway to negotiate a ceasefire and a hostage agreement with Hamas.

Furthermore, the Security Cabinet has sanctioned a plan to resume humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip while also revising mechanisms to reduce the diversion of goods by Hamas. Notably, Prime Minister Netanyahu had previously authorized preparations for a significant military escalation. The Israeli Chief of Staff, Ejal Zamir, confirmed the mobilization of reservists to support the expanded operations in the ongoing conflict.

"This week, we are issuing tens of thousands of call-up orders to our reservists to strengthen and expand our operations in the Gaza Strip," Zamir stated during a visit to a naval base south of Haifa. Some reservists will replace regular troops currently stationed along the northern border or in the West Bank, with plans for these units to be deployed to Gaza. For many reservists, this marks their seventh deployment since the conflict began.

Following a nearly two-month ceasefire, Israeli forces resumed operations in Gaza on March 18. Concurrently, the military has not allowed humanitarian aid into the besieged area, which is home to approximately two million residents, for around two months. Indirect negotiations for a renewed ceasefire, facilitated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have yet to yield any breakthroughs.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly deteriorating, with aid organizations warning of catastrophic conditions. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of profiting from the sale of humanitarian supplies to fund its fighters and weapons. Recently, news reports indicated that the U.S. and Israel are collaborating with a private American company to deliver aid to Gaza bypassing Hamas.

As of now, Israeli officials claim that 24 hostages remain in the custody of Hamas, along with the remains of 35 individuals previously abducted. Former hostages have recounted inhumane conditions, and Trump has suggested that the number of survivors may be lower than previously thought. On Saturday evening, relatives of the hostages staged a protest in Tel Aviv, advocating for a ceasefire.

The ongoing conflict, which began with an unprecedented attack by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel, with more than 250 individuals taken hostage into Gaza. The health ministry controlled by Hamas reports that over 52,500 people have died in Gaza since the conflict resumed, with more than 2,400 fatalities occurring since the resumption of hostilities in March.