Israel has expanded its ground operations in Gaza City, targeting a Hamas command center that killed dozens of Palestinians, including children. The military says the operation aims to compel Hamas to release more hostages.
The expansion of ground operations comes after Israeli strikes on a school turned shelter in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City killed at least 27 people. Israel claims the strikes targeted well-known militants, but Palestinian health authorities say civilians were among those killed.
The evacuation orders have brought hardship to Palestinians who had already been displaced from their homes during the war. The Israeli military says its recent campaign has dismantled weapons infrastructure and killed militants, including a senior Hamas commander.
Hamas has threatened the remaining Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza, saying they are being held in “strict security measures that are extremely dangerous to their lives.” The group has a history of threatening hostage safety during Israeli bombardments.
Israel’s military operation has brought renewed hardship to Palestinians, who have endured displacement and miserable conditions during the war. The United Nations says that Israeli strikes on schools probably violate the law by causing disproportionate harm to noncombatants.
More than 1,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the collapse of a cease-fire in March, and over 50,000 people have died since the start of the war, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-hamas-evacuation.html