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The Israeli army has deployed nine regular infantry and armored brigades to the Gaza Strip within the last 24 hours as part of an expanded military operation, according to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN.
Israel's Gaza military deployment has intensified following the approval of the "Chariots of Gideon" operation by Israel's Security Cabinet on May 4. The broadcaster reported the deployment, citing unnamed military sources, describing it as "part of expanding ground maneuvers in the Strip."
The operation launched on May 18 with ground assaults from multiple directions and is expected to continue for months, according to KAN reports. The plan includes what Israeli sources describe as "the full evacuation of Gaza's population from combat zones, including northern Gaza, to areas in the south."
The army has announced the deployment of Divisions 98 and 162 into Gaza during the past week, joining three other divisions already present, 143, and 36.
According to military sources cited by KAN, current combat operations are "concentrated in two main areas: northern Gaza and the Khan Younis area to the south." The sources added that "the army warned residents of these areas about a week ago to evacuate, ahead of planned intensive aerial bombardments."
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Friday that over 172,000 people have been displaced in Gaza in the past week due to intense attacks and siege conditions.
Residents report that displaced populations continue to face targeting during evacuation and in areas where they seek shelter, resulting in continued casualties.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that casualties from Israeli operations have reached 53,939 deaths and 122,797 wounded since Oct. 7, 2023. In the last 24 hours, hospitals received 38 dead and 204 wounded.
The ministry reported that 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 10,756 wounded since March 18, when operations resumed following a ceasefire that had been in effect since January 19.
The Gaza government's media office issued a statement claiming Israeli forces have gained control over 77% of Gaza through what it describes as "systematic genocide, forced evacuation and ethnic cleansing policies" over approximately 20 months.
The statement claimed these actions constitute "one of the most horrific systematic crimes of the 21st century" and referenced the 1948 Genocide Convention and Rome Statute provisions regarding crimes against humanity.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.
Israel also faces proceedings at the International Court of Justice regarding allegations of genocide in the enclave.
Israeli state television KAN reported that all regular infantry and armored units have entered the Gaza Strip, with the latest being paratroop brigades whose entry took 24 hours.
The report claimed that units have not encountered combat so far, suggesting Palestinian resistance groups have moved to the southern areas of the strip.
The military is reportedly moving more slowly than in previous operations.
The Israeli army announced it conducted 100 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip within 24 hours, claiming to target military assets belonging to Palestinian groups.
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