The Israeli occupation army announced on Saturday the expansion of its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, launching a new advance along the so-called "Morag Axis" in the southern part of the enclave. The operation aims to further isolate the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis, a move Palestinian officials have condemned as an attempt to "sustain occupation and divide Gaza." This latest escalation comes amid mounting international concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has endured months of relentless Israeli bombardment and ground operations. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that 26 Palestinians were killed and 113 injured in the past 24 hours alone. Since 18 March, 1,335 people have been killed and 3,297 wounded, bringing the overall death toll since the start of the war to 50,695, with more than 115,338 injured. In a related development, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, released a video on Saturday showing two Israeli hostages who claimed they were bombed by Israeli forces during a rare nighttime outing. The footage, interpreted as a warning to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, emphasized that "time is running out" for a hostage deal. Meanwhile, The New York Times published a video retrieved from the phone of a Palestinian paramedic killed by Israeli fire alongside 14 colleagues in Rafah on 23 March. The footage, reportedly shared by a senior UN diplomat, appears to contradict Israeli accounts of the incident. Some of the victims were reportedly shot at close range, with at least one found handcuffed. Prime Minister Netanyahu's office confirmed that he will travel to Washington on Sunday, following an invitation from US President Donald Trump. The two leaders are expected to discuss customs tariffs, hostage negotiations, Israeli-Turkish relations, the threat posed by Iran, and legal issues surrounding Netanyahu's war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court. In a major development on the ground, approximately 300,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee Rafah under intense aerial and ground bombardment. According to Rafah's Mayor Ahmed Al-Soufi, 90% of the city has been destroyed since Israel's initial incursion in early May 2024, including residential areas, infrastructure, public facilities, and medical services.
