Israel launches brutal Gaza offensive after deadly airstrikes kill 100+, seeking hostage release

Israel has launched a devastating new offensive in Gaza, unleashing a wave of airstrikes that have killed more than 100 people, mostly civilians, in a bid to force Hamas to release hostages. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced a major expansion of their campaign on Friday night, signalling the start of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, aimed at seizing strategic areas of the Gaza Strip.

Over the past 72 hours, Israeli raids have intensified sharply, pushing the death toll close to levels seen during the initial surge of fighting after the fragile ceasefire collapsed in March. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 108 fatalities on Friday alone, with many victims being women and children. Some Palestinian officials estimate that Israeli attacks in recent days may have killed as many as 250 to 300 people.

The airstrikes hit heavily populated areas, including the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Hospitals such as the Indonesian and Nasser facilities struggled under the influx of casualties, with dozens of bodies brought in amid scenes of despair. In Jabaliya, a northern Gaza neighbourhood battered by weeks of bombardment, survivors wept beside rows of bodies covered in white sheets.

One local resident, Umm Mohammed al-Tatari, described being awoken by a pre-dawn explosion. “We were asleep when suddenly everything exploded around us,” she said. “There was blood everywhere, body parts and corpses.”

Israel’s military claimed it struck more than 150 Hamas “terror” targets, including a tunnel complex beneath a hospital in Khan Younis believed to shelter Hamas commanders. Hamas denied accusations that it uses civilians as human shields.

Hamas still holds 57 hostages seized during its October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel says the blockade and military assaults aim to pressure Hamas to release them. Fewer than half the hostages are believed to be alive.

Since mid-March, Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed approximately 53,000 people in Gaza, with the majority civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry. The fragile ceasefire that began in January broke down in mid-March when Israel refused to enter a second phase that could have ended the war.

Israel has mobilised tens of thousands of reservists for the ground offensive, which will involve holding captured territory and likely force mass displacement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned. Israeli ministers have spoken openly about “conquering” Gaza.

Amid the violence, humanitarian conditions worsen. The Gaza blockade has tightened for over ten weeks, cutting vital supplies. Donald Trump, on a Gulf tour that notably excluded Israel, acknowledged Gaza’s starvation crisis and promised the US would “get that taken care of.” He floated a vision of Gaza as a “freedom zone,” echoing earlier plans for US control to rebuild the territory as a luxury hub.

However, aid efforts face major obstacles. Israel insists Hamas diverts aid to fund military efforts and proposes delivering assistance through hubs run by private contractors protected by Israeli forces. Aid agencies and the UN have condemned this plan as dangerous and unlawful, warning it could cause forced population transfers.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher urged swift, unimpeded aid delivery using existing UN networks, stressing that 160,000 pallets of relief are ready to enter Gaza now. “We have the people, the trust, and the aid,” Fletcher said. “Let us work.”

The release of the last living US hostage by Hamas this week followed direct US engagement, sidelining Israel. Hamas expects Washington to pressure Israel to open crossings for aid immediately, a demand Israeli officials have denied.

Violence is also escalating beyond Gaza. The occupied West Bank has seen intensified unrest, while the Yemen-based Houthi militia fired missiles at Israel. In response, Israel struck Yemen’s Red Sea ports in an ongoing effort to degrade Houthi capabilities.

Despite widespread Israeli public support for a ceasefire to secure hostage releases, officials doubt progress, with hostage families accusing Netanyahu of missing a historic chance for freedom.

The Gaza conflict shows no signs of abating, as Israel presses its most intense offensive yet, with civilian suffering mounting and the region bracing for further devastation.