Israel Launches Ground Operation in Gaza Amid Ongoing Massacres
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Israel has announced that its army began a “limited ground operation” in the Gaza Strip. The offensive comes as Israeli airstrikes continue for the second consecutive day, killing hundreds of Palestinians, most of them women and children. Medical sources confirmed that the death toll has risen to 451 Palestinians since the attacks began at dawn on Tuesday.
The Israeli army stated that the operation aims to create a separation between northern and southern Gaza. It claimed that its forces have positioned along the Netzarim corridor in the central part of the enclave. According to the military, Golani Brigade troops will be stationed in the southern region and will remain ready for further assaults inside Gaza.
Israeli forces had previously occupied this area but withdrew under the ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19. However, Israeli media reported that the army has now partially re-occupied the Netzarim corridor but does not yet have full control. This latest development confirms that Israel has completely breached every clause of Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement.
As the military escalation continues, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the expulsion of Palestinians in some areas of Gaza would begin soon. He ordered Palestinians to leave “voluntarily,” describing it as “voluntary migration.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has issued expulsion orders for multiple areas, including Beit Hanoun in the north and the towns of Khuza’a, Abasan Al-Kabira, and Abasan Al-Jadida in the south. The United Nations confirmed that thousands of people have already been displaced due to these expulsion orders.
Israeli forces continue to target civilians across Gaza. Earlier today, an Israeli drone strike killed four Palestinians, including a child, in Al-Mawasi area northwest of Khan Younis. In Rafah, six Palestinians lost their lives when an Israeli airstrike hit a civilian vehicle in the Masbah area. In Beit Hanoun, two Palestinians were killed, and several others were injured in an airstrike.
Israel claims that its renewed military offensive aims to pressure Hamas into making concessions regarding Israeli prisoners. The decision comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government refused to move forward with the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.
