The Israeli military announced on Wednesday the launch of “targeted ground activities” in Gaza, marking the first ground offensive since the two-month-old ceasefire with Hamas collapsed. This operation saw Israel partially recapture a strategic area in Gaza, following a deadly series of airstrikes on Tuesday that shattered the fragile truce.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its troops began operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip to extend the security zone and create a buffer between northern and southern Gaza. “Troops expanded their control into the center of the Netzarim Corridor,” the IDF stated, a key area that was previously under Israeli control before the ceasefire.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement in January, Israel withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza. The area has since seen continued military oversight by foreign contractors, though Palestinian civilians have frequently used the corridor to travel between Gaza’s northern and southern regions.
The new military actions came after an intense series of airstrikes on Gaza that began on Monday night and extended into Tuesday, causing widespread casualties. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 400 people were killed in one of the deadliest days since the conflict reignited.
The escalation occurred amid large-scale protests outside Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, where demonstrators expressed their opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to resume military action in Gaza, which critics argue is meant to shore up his vulnerable coalition.
Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that Gaza residents would “pay the full price” if Israeli hostages held by Hamas were not returned and the group continued to govern the Strip. The Israeli government has framed the airstrikes and ground activities as part of a broader effort to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.
Israel’s military has so far secured the return of eight hostages, out of the 251 taken by Hamas during the October 7 attacks. Most hostages were released as part of ceasefire deals in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
