The Israeli army is expanding its ground invasion in Gaza after resuming attacks and breaking the ceasefire. The Israeli army, which initially entered the Netzarim Corridor, bisecting Gaza along a north-south axis, has announced the commencement of a ground invasion in the north. In response to Israel’s intensified attacks, Hamas targeted Tel Aviv for the first time in five months.
In a statement, the Israeli army announced the start of ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip, adding that the operations are being conducted jointly with Shin Bet, its internal intelligence agency.
Ground operations have reportedly begun off the coast of the Beit Lahia region in the northern Gaza Strip, preceded by aerial targeting of Hamas sites in the area.
The statement noted that attacks on Gaza continued throughout the night, purportedly targeting military structures and weapons.
The statement also affirmed that attacks on the Gaza Strip are ongoing.
Conversely, it is anticipated that Israel will conduct even more intensive attacks in Gaza than its previous operations, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.
The Walla news site reported that the Israeli army used the ceasefire to reinforce its strength and replenish its arsenal.
The report stated that Israel has increased the capability of its armored vehicles and added new ones to its inventory. It also assessed that the new Chief of General Staff, Eyal Zamir, with the support of the US, will use more firepower and be more aggressive.
After breaking the ceasefire with Hamas and resuming airstrikes, the Israeli army announced the resumption of its ground invasion in the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza along a north-south axis.
The Israeli army, which withdrew from the Netzarim Corridor on February 9 as part of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, has reoccupied the corridor. It has also demanded that Palestinians evacuate from certain areas, announcing that the army is conducting pinpoint strikes.
While Salahaddin Street is closed, Palestinians traveling along the north-south axis of Gaza can use Rashid Street on the coast, it was noted.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is expanding its occupation in the buffer zone around the Gaza Strip, continuing its ground invasion in the areas off Beit Lahia and Khan Yunis.
Hamas’s military wing, the Kassam Brigades, announced that it bombed Tel Aviv with M90 rockets in response to “the Zionist massacres against civilians.”
The Israeli army also announced that three long-range rockets were fired from the southern Gaza Strip towards Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel. According to the statement, one of the rockets was intercepted by air defense systems, while the other two hit open areas. This marks the first time Hamas has targeted Tel Aviv since October 7, 2024.
Furthermore, Hamas announced that negotiations with mediators are ongoing to halt Israeli attacks and force Tel Aviv to implement the agreed-upon ceasefire agreement.
Hamas Spokesman Abdullatif al-Kanu stated in a written statement that they are committed to the ceasefire agreement and are “working with mediators to save the Palestinian people from the war and to ensure the withdrawal of the occupiers from Gaza.”
Kanu added, “The blockade, starvation, and genocide being carried out against Gaza require the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to take immediate action.”
Egyptian Foreign Minister Bedr Abdulati and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdurrahman Al Sani also discussed the situation in Gaza in a telephone conversation.
At least 710 people have died and more than 900 have been injured in the attacks launched by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip since the morning of March 18.
