Israel has significantly expanded its ground operations in the Gaza Strip, deploying all regular infantry and armored brigades into the territory, according to Hebrew-language media reports on Saturday evening. The move marks a major escalation in the ongoing offensive, amid intensifying airstrikes and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The latest escalation follows a decision by the Israeli government to broaden its military campaign inside Gaza. Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that at least 52 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes since dawn Saturday. Since the start of hostilities on October 7, 2023, more than 176,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured—most of them women and children—according to local health authorities. Over 11,000 people are still reported missing. Amid mounting international concern over conditions in Gaza, uncertainty looms over the launch of the US-backed Gaza Relief Foundation, an initiative intended to manage food distribution in the enclave. Israeli outlet Ynet reported on Saturday that the American firm responsible for overseeing the foundation's operations has again delayed the start date, originally set for Sunday. According to the Associated Press, an internal letter suggests that Israel may allow longstanding humanitarian organizations to continue delivering non-food aid, while reserving food distribution exclusively for the new US-supported foundation. This represents a shift from Israel's previous plan to assume full control over all humanitarian aid. However, Israeli officials have not clarified what is included in the category of "non-food" assistance. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued a stark warning on Saturday, saying Palestinian families are on the brink of famine and underscored the urgent need for a sustained and safe flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory. "Only a meaningful and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid can prevent the current catastrophe from escalating further," the WFP wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Aid operations in Gaza have been severely restricted since Israel closed all border crossings on March 2. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) echoed the concern, saying that 500 to 600 aid trucks per day are needed to meet the population's basic needs. "The people of Gaza cannot wait any longer," the agency said in a statement on Facebook. Meanwhile, Gaza's Government Media Office accused Israel of executing a "deliberate campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing," asserting that Israeli forces now control roughly 77% of the territory. According to the office, this control has been achieved through a combination of direct military presence, indiscriminate fire that denies civilians access to their homes, and forced displacement that has driven thousands into repeated internal relocation. An investigation published Saturday by Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli forces attacked at least ten hospitals and clinics across Gaza in the past week, rendering many of them partially or completely inoperative. The assault on the European Hospital in Khan Younis is said to have marked the start of the expanded campaign—dubbed Operation Gideon Chariots—which has included widespread strikes on medical facilities. Separately, the Associated Press reported firsthand accounts from seven Palestinians who alleged they were used as human shields by Israeli forces in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Two Israeli soldiers reportedly confirmed their involvement in such practices, which are banned under international humanitarian law. Human rights organizations have expressed alarm, warning that the use of human shields appears to be growing more systematic. On the battlefield, Hamas' armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a coordinated ambush against Israeli troops on Tuesday in eastern Khan Younis. According to a statement posted on Telegram, fighters detonated explosives inside a house where Israeli soldiers had taken cover, followed by a second ambush involving gunfire and an explosive tunnel device targeting reinforcements.
