JERUSALEM/OSLO - The Israeli military said on Friday it had stepped up its operations in the Gaza Strip, launching a wave of airstrikes and deploying additional ground forces in an effort to establish operational control in parts of the enclave.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the intensified assault marked the start of a new operation codenamed "Gideon's Chariots," which aims to expand the scope of fighting and advance key war objectives, including the release of hostages and the dismantling of Hamas.
"IDF troops will continue to operate in order to protect Israeli civilians and achieve the objectives of the war," the military said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces would enter Gaza "with full force" in the coming days as part of efforts to defeat Hamas.
Health officials in Gaza said at least 109 people were killed and 216 wounded in the northern part of the territory on Friday amid the latest Israeli bombardment.
The intensification followed Israel's resumption of military operations in Gaza on March 18, after a brief lull in fighting. Since then, at least 2,985 Palestinians have been killed and 8,173 injured, bringing the total number of deaths since the conflict erupted in October 2023 to 53,119, with 120,214 wounded, according to Gaza's health authorities.
Hamas accused Israel on Thursday of disregarding ongoing ceasefire mediation efforts, saying the Israeli government is pursuing "an endless war."
"Israel is responding to mediation efforts with military pressure on civilians, mass bombing, and more suffering for the Palestinian people in a desperate attempt to impose its terms under fire," the group said in a statement.
Urgent humanitarian action
Meanwhile, Norway, along with Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, and Spain, on Friday issued a joint statement expressing concern over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calling for an immediate change in Israel's policy, according to a press release by the Norwegian government.
"We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza," the countries said in the statement, noting that more than 50,000 people have lost their lives and warning that many more could face starvation in the coming days and weeks without urgent intervention.
The statement urged the Israeli government to "immediately reverse its current policy," refrain from further military operations, and fully lift the blockade to allow safe, rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip.
It also emphasized the need to support and enable access for the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
They reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution and the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, pledging to work within the framework of the United Nations and in cooperation with regional partners to pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution.
The joint statement also condemned the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, citing rising settler violence, the expansion of illegal settlements, and intensified Israeli military operations.
It warned that forced displacement or the expulsion of Palestinians "by any means" would constitute a breach of international law and rejected any attempts at demographic change.
