Jerusalem (Reuters) – The Air Forest of Israel killed at least 58 Palestinians at night in new attacks on Gaza, said the local health authorities on Saturday, while the country appeared to push ahead with a new ground offensive.
Since Thursday, more than 300 Gazanen have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the local health authorities, one of the deadliest phases of the bombing since a truce in March. The newest strikes came after the US President Donald Trump ended his tour in the middle on Friday without clear progress in the direction of a new -the fire.
“We have received 58 martyrs since midnight, while a large number of victims stay under the rubble. The situation in the hospital is catastrophic,” said the director of the Indonesian hospital in the north of Gaza, Marwan al-Sultan.
The army of Israel said on Saturday that it is carrying out extensive strikes and mobilizing troops as part of the preparations to expand the activities in the Gaza Strip and to reach “operational control” in areas of the Palestinian enclave.
The escalation, which includes the structure of armored forces along the border, is part of the initial phase of “Operation Gideon's Wagons”, of which Israel says it is aimed at beating Hamas and returning his hostages.
Earlier this month, an Israeli defense officer said that the operation would not be launched before Trump completed his visit to the Middle East.
United Nations experts warn that famine in Gaza loomed after Israel had blocked the population of the comic 76 days ago, whereby the UN help leader Tom Fletcher sooner the Security Council would act to prevent “genocide”.
On Friday, Trump acknowledged the growing hunger crisis of Gaza and the need for assistance, as international pressure grows on Israel to resume -fires and to end the blockade of Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 5 May that Israel was planning an extensive, intensive offensive against Hamas, because his security cabinet approved plans that could mean that the entire Gaza Strip could be seized and could check help.
Israëls explained goal in Gaza is the elimination of the military and government opportunities of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and grabbed around 250 hostages.
The military campaign has destroyed the small, busy enclave, so that almost all residents are pushed out of their homes and, according to Gaza Health Authorities, more than 53,000 people kill.
(Reporting by Maytaal Angel; adaptation by Susan Fenton)
