The Israeli military announced on Wednesday the launch of a “pinpoint” ground operation aimed at expanding the buffer zone between northern and southern Gaza. According to an army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, the operation, which has been in progress for the past 24 hours, focuses on the central and southern Gaza Strip, with forces regaining control over the Netzarim axis that separates the two regions.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned in a televised speech that the situation would become “significantly worse” for the residents of Gaza. Katz issued a stern message, telling Gaza’s citizens, “This is your final warning. The rest will be significantly worse, and you will pay the full price.”
This escalation follows renewed Israeli airstrikes that have resulted in at least 436 deaths and over 670 injuries since Tuesday, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal that had been in place since January. The ongoing violence has further devastated Gaza, which has been under siege for 18 years, with its 2.4 million residents now left homeless in a territory reduced to rubble.
The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with nearly 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed since the Israeli military campaign began in October 2023. More than 112,000 others have been injured. The violence has drawn international attention, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the enclave.
