Israel has launched a “limited ground operation” in northern Gaza, marking a dramatic escalation in hostilities after a two-month ceasefire with Hamas collapsed.
The Israeli military confirmed on Wednesday, March 19, that it had retaken part of the Netzarim corridor, a strategic route bisecting northern and southern Gaza. The area had been abandoned by Israeli forces in January as part of the now-failed truce.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks would intensify, issuing a stark message to Gaza’s residents. He stated that fresh evacuation orders would soon be issued, and military operations against Hamas would escalate unless the militant group released hostages who have been held for over 17 months.
“Take the advice of the U.S. President. Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you – including going to other places in the world for those who wish.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz
The renewed conflict has already inflicted severe casualties. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 436 people, including 183 children and 94 women, have been killed since Israeli airstrikes began early Tuesday. Another 678 people have been wounded.
The Israeli military maintains that it only targets militants and attributes civilian casualties to Hamas, accusing the group of operating within densely populated areas.
As airstrikes battered Gaza, the United Nations confirmed that an international staffer was killed, and five others were wounded in an attack on a U.N. guesthouse in the central city of Deir al-Balah on Wednesday.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), stated that an “explosive ordnance was dropped or fired,” emphasizing that the blast was neither accidental nor related to demining activity.
Moreira da Silva refrained from assigning blame, but he noted that “Israel knew this was a U.N. premise, that people were living, staying and working there.” The Israeli military has denied targeting the facility, despite earlier reports that airstrikes hit near the compound on Monday, struck it directly on Tuesday, and then again on Wednesday when the U.N. worker was killed.
Images from Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital in Deir al-Balah showed wounded U.N. personnel receiving treatment. A man was seen being carried on a blanket by medical staff, while another lay on a hospital bed, his knee wrapped in bandages. A blue protective vest marked with “UN” rested nearby, underscoring the attack’s impact on international humanitarian workers.
Fears of a Return to All-Out War
Since Israel resumed its military operations, there have been no reports of rocket fire or counterattacks from Palestinian militants. However, the situation remains highly volatile.
Israel’s military stated on Wednesday, confirming that its latest offensive had resulted in the deaths of dozens of militants and the destruction of several key Hamas sites, including a battalion command center.
The war in Gaza, initially paused by a ceasefire agreement in January, has been one of the deadliest conflicts for humanitarian workers in modern history, according to the U.N. The collapse of the ceasefire and the resumption of hostilities now risk plunging the region back into full-scale war.
The previous ceasefire had facilitated a hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas and was expected to lead to further negotiations aimed at bringing an end to the war. However, those diplomatic efforts faltered. Hamas has insisted that Israel adhere to the original terms of the ceasefire, including a full withdrawal from Gaza and a complete cessation of hostilities.
Israel, on the other hand, has refused to commit to ending the war, instead proposing a new deal that would extend the truce and facilitate the release of additional hostages without promising an end to military action.
As the situation intensifies, international leaders are closely monitoring the developments, fearing that the renewed violence could further destabilize the already fragile Middle East.
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