The Israeli military has said it has begun “extensive ground operations” in northern and southern Gaza, stepping up a new campaign in the enclave where Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 130 people overnight, Reuters reports.
Israel made its announcement after sources on both sides said there had been no progress in a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar.
Israel’s military said it had conducted a preliminary wave of strikes on more than 670 Hamas targets in Gaza over the past week to support “Gideon’s Chariots”, its new ground operation aimed at achieving “operational control” in parts of the enclave. It said it killed dozens of Hamas fighters.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said in the week till today, at least 464 Palestinians were killed. The deaths of 130 or so Palestinians overnight are in addition to that figure.
“Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by (overnight) Israeli bombardment,” Khalil Al-Deqran, Gaza health ministry spokesperson, told Reuters by phone.
