Israel begins 'extensive' ground operation as more than 130 killed in Gaza

The offensive was launched in the northern and southern parts of the enclave

Palestinians inspect the site destroyed by Israeli air strikes in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, on May 18, 2025. AP

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The Israeli army said on Sunday that its troops had begun “extensive” ground operations throughout northern and southern Gaza as part of a new offensive, as air strikes killed more than 130 Palestinians across the territory since the morning.

“Over the past day, IDF troops under the Southern Command – including both active duty and reservists have begun extensive ground operations throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip as part of 'Gideon’s Chariots'” the army said.

Israel has expanded its attacks on the enclave, killing hundreds of people since Thursday, in preparation for its ground offensive to achieve “operational control” of parts of Gaza.

Medical sources in Gaza said 132 Palestinians have been killed in intensive Israeli air strikes since dawn on Sunday, 61 of them in Gaza city and the northern Gaza Strip, Official news agency Wafa reported.

Earlier in the day, the enclave's Health Ministry put the death toll at 96, with more than 140 people wounded in the strikes.

Wafa said that “brutal massacres” by Israeli troops took place in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Zuwaida and Deir Al Balah in the centre and Jabalia and Beit Lahia in the north.

The Israeli army two projectiles were launched into Israel from the central Gaza Strip on Sunday. "One of the projectiles was intercepted, and the other fell in an open area. No injuries were reported," it said.

Israel resumed its military operations in the territory on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire. Since then, at least 3,193 people have been killed, bringing the death toll from the war since October 2023 to 53,339.

Israel says the new Gideon's Chariots offensive is meant to increase pressure on Hamas to agree to a temporary ceasefire on Israel's terms – one that would free Israeli hostages held in Gaza but would not necessarily end the war. Hamas says it wants a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a pathway to ending the war as part of any new ceasefire deal.

Israel had said it would wait until the end of US President Donald Trump's visit to the region before launching its new offensive, saying it was giving a chance for efforts to bring about a new ceasefire deal. And while teams are still negotiating a truce in the Qatari capital Doha, there appears to have been no breakthrough. Mr Trump did not visit Israel on his trip, which ended on Friday.

Israel has also blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to put pressure on Hamas to free Israeli hostages and has approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.

Arab leaders met in Baghdad on Saturday and issued condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza, calling it “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” amid mounting humanitarian crisis.

The latest developments on the ground come as negotiations have resumed in Qatar to reach a Gaza ceasefire.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled on Sunday that Israel was open to a deal with Hamas that would include “ending the fighting” in Gaza, laying out conditions for such an agreement.

Healthcare system

The Gaza healthcare system is barely operational because of repeated Israeli bombardment and raids on hospitals. The blockade on aid supplies has compounded their difficulties while adding to widespread hunger, for which Israel blames Hamas.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Sunday that all public hospitals in the north of the territory were now “out of service” after Israeli troops besieged the Indonesian Hospital.

“The Israeli occupation has intensified its siege with heavy fire around the Indonesian Hospital and its surroundings, preventing the arrival of patients, medical staff, and supplies, effectively forcing the hospital out of service,” the ministry said.

“All public hospitals in the North Gaza governorate are now out of service,” it added.

The ministry said the injured people are denied access to the hospital amid intensive bombing in the north. It added that two patients were injured while attempting to leave the hospital.

Houthis fire missile at Israel

As the war in Gaza grinds on, the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has escalated.

The Israeli military said it intercepted a Houthi missile launched at the country early on Sunday, which set off air raid sirens across the country.

The rebels said they fired two ballistic missiles – including a hypersonic one – towards Israel's main airport near Tel Aviv, whose grounds earlier this month were struck by a Houthi missile.

“The operation successfully achieved its goal, thanks to Allah, and caused millions of occupying Zionists to rush to shelters,” said Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree.

Israel was left out of a US deal to halt attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen in exchange for a stop to their strikes on US shipping vessels in the Red Sea.

On Friday, Israel struck Yemen for the eighth time since the war in Gaza began in response to the Houthi attacks.