Israel has initiated what it refers to as a "restricted ground offensive" aimed at reclaiming portions of the crucial Netzarim Corridor, an area designated by the IDF stretching from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea, dividing Gaza into two parts.
Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has cautioned that the military intends to intensify assaults, bringing an end to the two-month truce with a level of force unprecedented thus far.
Katz further stated, “The airstrikes carried out by the air force against Hamas militants were merely the initial phase. What follows will pose greater challenges, and you shall bear the complete cost.”
Israel had earlier pulled out of the corridor in January after reaching a provisional truce deal with Hamas.
Katz cautioned that if the hostages detained in Gaza since 2023 were not freed, the Israeli military would promptly issue evacuation orders for conflict areas within Gaza and escalate its assaults against Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacks on Tuesday mark “just the start” and emphasized that Israel will continue its actions until it accomplishes all of its objectives in this conflict.
As Israel carried out further airstrikes in Gaza on Wednesday, the United Nations verified the death of one of its employees and injuries to five more individuals due to an attack on a UN guesthouse in Gaza.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, who leads the UN Office for Project Services, did not identify the perpetrators but affirmed that the explosive device was intentionally released or launched.
The Israeli military, having conducted extensive aerial attacks across Gaza since late Monday, refuted previous claims stating they had struck the UN facility.
However, Moreira da Silva stated that the Israeli military had been notified about the site’s position following the initial attack close to the complex. The military acknowledged on Monday that they knew it was a United Nations facility housing both residents and workers.
He didn't mention the nationalities of those who were affected.
Following the incident on Wednesday, those injured were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Hospital in Deir al-Balah. There, one man was brought in using a stretcher, and another individual underwent care for a knee wound.
Following the collapse of the delicate truce on Tuesday, there has not been any documented rocket fire or assaults carried out by Palestinian militants since then. Additionally, Israeli airstrikes noticeably decreased in frequency on Wednesday.
As of early Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that 436 individuals have lost their lives, with 183 being children and 94 being women. Additionally, at least 678 people have sustained injuries.
The Gaza Health Ministry does not differentiate between civilian casualties and those of combatants in their count.
The Israeli army maintains that it only targets militant sites and attributes the civilian casualties to Hamas, asserting that they conduct operations in heavily populated regions.
The United Nations reports that the Israel-Hamas conflict ranks among the most lethal ever for personnel working in the region.
Israel said it carried out attacks on militant locations, hitting a Hamas battalion's command center on Wednesday.
Israel continues to concentrate on neutralizing Hamas, whereas Hamas insists on complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to hostilities, both of which Israel rejects. Instead, Israel proposes extending the truce and releasing additional captives as part of a new agreement.