The Israeli military announced on Friday night the initiation of extensive strikes and troop mobilization in the Gaza Strip as part of a new military operation named “Gideon’s Chariots.” This significant military action aims “to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of hostages and the defeat of Hamas,” as stated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on social media platforms.
These new strikes coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s conclusion of a four-day diplomatic trip to the Middle East, during which he visited key countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. According to reports from Reuters, local health authorities in Gaza indicated that the latest Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 58 individuals overnight, escalating the overall death toll to over 300 since Thursday.
During a press briefing, President Trump expressed his concerns regarding the intensifying conflict, stating, “We’re looking at Gaza. And we’re going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving.” His comments reflect the growing international attention towards the humanitarian crisis in the region.
In the early hours of Saturday, reports from Palestinian media emerged indicating that Israeli ground troops had advanced towards Deir al-Balah, one of the few areas in Gaza that had not yet seen ground troop operations during this ongoing war. This advance marks a significant escalation in the military operations and highlights the urgent situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that Hamas has initiated a new round of negotiations aimed at concluding the war in Gaza, just hours after Israel commenced its offensive. Taher al-Nounou, an adviser to the head of Hamas, announced that discussions had officially started in Doha on Saturday, with no preconditions set by either party and all issues open for negotiation.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Hamas negotiators are resuming indirect discussions in Qatar to negotiate a resolution regarding hostages, a significant development in the ongoing conflict. Katz described this shift as a “departure from the recalcitrant position they had taken up until that moment,” suggesting a potential for progress in the negotiations.
Earlier in the week, Katz revealed that recent Israeli airstrikes targeted Mohammed Sinwar, the presumed leader of Hamas in Gaza and brother of the deceased former leader, Yahya Sinwar. Israeli intelligence believes that Sinwar was present in the targeted area at the time of the attack, which underscores the strategic objectives behind the military operations.
The new military operation in Gaza unfolds against a backdrop of reported differences between Israel and President Trump, who notably did not visit Israel during his recent trip. Recent reports indicate that Washington has brokered deals directly with Hamas to secure the release of an American-Israeli hostage, as well as agreements with the Houthi rebels in Yemen to halt U.S. strikes in return for a cessation of attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
According to NBC News, the Trump administration is developing a controversial plan to relocate up to 1 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya, which would involve the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds to Libyan authorities. This plan raises significant concerns and questions regarding the humanitarian implications for those affected.
In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis, the newly established U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced plans to begin distributing aid by the end of the month to the territory, which has been largely cut off from assistance. On Friday, Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, urged for “rapid, safe, and unimpeded” aid delivery in Gaza, emphasizing the U.N.'s capability to effectively manage assistance. “To those proposing an alternative modality for aid distribution, let’s not waste time: We already have a plan,” Fletcher stated, reaffirming the U.N.'s commitment to delivering much-needed aid to the region.
