Key Points
- Israeli ground forces are advancing into Gaza City, backed by tanks and airstrikes, in a major offensive against what it calls Hamas’s “last stronghold”.
- The Palestinian death toll in the conflict since October 2023 has now surpassed 65,100, with over 165,900 injured.
- Four Israeli soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in southern Gaza, bringing the death toll for the ground operation to 469.[1]
- A complete communications blackout has isolated Gaza City, while famine and a lack of medical supplies create a “cataclysmic” humanitarian crisis.
- Tensions have flared on other fronts, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Gaza: Israeli forces have intensified their ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, pushing deeper into Gaza City with tanks and heavy aerial bombardment. The stated goal of the operation is to dismantle Hamas’s remaining battalions and rescue hostages. The fierce fighting has resulted in a rising death toll and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
Heavy Casualties and a Deepening Crisis
The Palestinian death toll from the nearly two-year war has now exceeded 65,141, with 165,925 wounded, according to Gaza’s health authorities. In the last 24 hours alone, at least 79 Palestinians were killed. The humanitarian situation is dire, with the World Health Organization warning that hospitals are “on the brink” of collapse. A complete telecommunications and internet blackout has severed Gaza City from the outside world, compounding the suffering of hundreds of thousands of civilians who remain trapped.
The advance into what Israel describes as Hamas’s “last stronghold” comes at a high cost. On Thursday, four Israeli soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The soldiers, part of the Dekel Battalion, were identified as Maj. Omri Chai Ben Moshe, 26; Lt. Eran Shelem, 23; Lt. Eitan Avner Ben Itzhak, 22; and Lt. Ron Arieli, 20. Their deaths bring the total number of Israeli soldiers killed during the ground offensive to 469.
Tensions on Other Fronts
The conflict has continued to spill over into the wider region.
- Attack at Allenby Crossing: Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a shooting incident at the Allenby Crossing on the border with Jordan. The attacker, reportedly a driver delivering aid, was also killed. The Israeli military has classified the incident as a terrorist attack.
- Airstrikes in Lebanon: On Thursday, Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military stated the strikes were aimed at preventing the militant group from rebuilding its military infrastructure in the area, and issued evacuation warnings to residents near the targeted sites. These strikes follow other recent operations in northeastern Lebanon that killed several Hezbollah members.
