Israeli Military Launches Ground Operation in Rafah
The Israeli Defense Forces expand operations in Rafah amid ongoing air strikes targeting Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday they have commenced a "ground operation" in the Al-Jinaina neighborhood of Rafah, aimed at expanding what it terms the "defensive security area" in the southern Gaza Strip.
This latest initiative accompanies ongoing aerial bombardments by Israeli forces, which seek to target alleged militant infrastructure associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad throughout the region.
On March 18, Israel resumed its ground operations and aerial assaults on Hamas, asserting that these measures are designed to increase pressure on the group to release the remaining hostages it holds.
The current military activities have drawn comparisons to the early days of the conflict, marked by unprecedented aerial strikes that have caused significant destruction and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
A previous ceasefire agreement facilitated a temporary period of relative calm, the release of several hostages, and increased humanitarian aid deliveries to the strip.
The first phase of this ceasefire lasted six weeks, during which 33 hostages were released, including 8 deceased individuals, in exchange for the release of over 1,800 Palestinian detainees.
The conflict intensified following Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals on the Israeli side, according to official Israeli figures.
This toll includes hostages who were killed while in captivity.
Currently, 58 of the 251 individuals taken hostage during the Hamas assault remain captive in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
The ongoing war in Gaza has led to the deaths of at least 50,000 people, primarily civilians, including many women and children, as reported by the health ministry administered by Hamas, which is recognized as reliable by the United Nations.
This latest initiative accompanies ongoing aerial bombardments by Israeli forces, which seek to target alleged militant infrastructure associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad throughout the region.
On March 18, Israel resumed its ground operations and aerial assaults on Hamas, asserting that these measures are designed to increase pressure on the group to release the remaining hostages it holds.
The current military activities have drawn comparisons to the early days of the conflict, marked by unprecedented aerial strikes that have caused significant destruction and a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
A previous ceasefire agreement facilitated a temporary period of relative calm, the release of several hostages, and increased humanitarian aid deliveries to the strip.
The first phase of this ceasefire lasted six weeks, during which 33 hostages were released, including 8 deceased individuals, in exchange for the release of over 1,800 Palestinian detainees.
The conflict intensified following Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 individuals on the Israeli side, according to official Israeli figures.
This toll includes hostages who were killed while in captivity.
Currently, 58 of the 251 individuals taken hostage during the Hamas assault remain captive in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
The ongoing war in Gaza has led to the deaths of at least 50,000 people, primarily civilians, including many women and children, as reported by the health ministry administered by Hamas, which is recognized as reliable by the United Nations.
