News Desk
08 August 2025, 09:03 AM IST
Israel announces ground operation in Gaza City, escalating the 22-month war with Hamas, despite ceasefire calls and hostage families’ protests.
Israeli army humvees and vehicles move along a dirt road in the Gaza Strip near a position along the border with southern Israel | Photo: AFP
The Israeli government announced early Friday its intention to launch a major ground operation to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in its 22-month war with Hamas. The decision was reached after a late-night meeting of top officials, despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire and internal protests from families of the remaining hostages.
Israel’s military offensive has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced most of the population, and pushed the territory toward famine. A new ground operation in Gaza City, one of the last areas not yet declared a buffer zone, is expected to severely worsen the humanitarian crisis.
Why did Netanyahu’s Cabinet take the decision?
The decision came after a prolonged Security Cabinet meeting. It represents a more limited plan than the one Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously outlined, where he said Israel intended to “take control of all of Gaza.” The more focused plan may be a strategic move to pressure Hamas into accepting a ceasefire on Israel’s terms.
According to Israeli media reports, the military’s chief of staff had reportedly warned against occupying all of Gaza, arguing it would endanger the remaining 20 or so living hostages and further strain the army after nearly two years of regional wars.
In a statement following the meeting, Netanyahu’s office said the military “will prepare to take control of Gaza City while providing humanitarian aid to the civilian population outside the combat zones.”
What is the situation in Gaza city?
Gaza City, which was the territory’s largest urban center, has been repeatedly bombarded and raided by Israeli forces but has not been subject to a full ground occupation.
A new operation there could displace tens of thousands of people and further disrupt the delivery of food to the hunger-stricken population.
Palestinians are bracing for more hardship. “There is nothing left to occupy,” said Maysaa al-Heila, a resident living in a displacement camp. “There is no Gaza left.” Local hospitals reported that at least 42 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes and shootings on Thursday, underscoring the ongoing violence.
Why are families of Israeli hostages upset?
The announcement was met with fresh condemnation from relatives of the hostages. Almost two dozen family members set sail from southern Israel toward the Gaza maritime border on Thursday to protest Netanyahu’s war strategy.
Yehuda Cohen, the father of a captive soldier, said from the boat that Netanyahu is prolonging the war to appease far-right allies who want to escalate the conflict and re-establish Jewish settlements. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in their attack on October 7, 2023, and around 50 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza.
Why is the aid delivery system under scrutiny?
The conflict has been marked by a chaotic and deadly struggle to get aid to civilians. At least 13 people were killed on Thursday while seeking aid in the Morag Corridor, a military-controlled zone in southern Gaza. The incident highlights the growing controversy around the aid distribution system.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) published a scathing report denouncing the U.S. and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which was established as an alternative to the UN-run system. The report called the GHF system a “deliberately designed death trap” and “orchestrated killing,” citing the treatment of 1,380 people injured near GHF sites between June and July. The GHF has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “false and disgraceful” and accusing MSF of “amplifying a disinformation campaign” by Hamas.
The United Nations and independent experts consider the Gaza Health Ministry’s casualty figures — which stand at over 61,000 Palestinian deaths — to be the most reliable estimate. Israel has disputed these figures without offering a toll of its own
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