Israel launched a fresh ground campaign in Gaza on Tuesday, killing dozens of Palestinians, amid a renewed assault on the territory. At least 59 people died in overnight strikes, bringing the total number of deaths since Tuesday to hundreds.
Hamas blames Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for refusing to accept revised ceasefire terms, while Israel claims the new fighting is a result of Hamas’s refusal to cooperate. The two-month-old ceasefire was shattered just days after it began, with both sides accusing each other of breaching the agreement.
The Israeli military said its troops aimed to expand security zones and create a buffer between northern and southern Gaza. They partially recaptured a key area in the territory, including the Netzarim Corridor, which splits Gaza in half.
Hamas has called the latest offensive a “new and dangerous breach” of the ceasefire agreement, while Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, warned that residents of Gaza will pay the full price if hostages are not returned. The Israeli military has brought just eight living hostages back to Israel out of 251 taken by Hamas in October.
The United Nations reported one of its aid workers was killed by an explosive ordnance at a guesthouse in central Gaza, with five others injured. The IDF denied responsibility for the attack.
Thousands of protesters gathered outside Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, in Jerusalem, as critics accuse Netanyahu of using the war to shore up his coalition. Police clashed with demonstrators and arrested 12 people at an anti-Netanyahu rally, citing disruptions to public order.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/19/middleeast/israel-ground-offensive-renewed-war-gaza-intl/index.html