Israel launches ground operations in Deir al-Balah in Gaza War first

The IDF has not yet commented on the new offensive but, in an earlier statement, said its operations in the Strip are “advancing Hamas’ defeat” and “creating the potential for a hostage deal”.

Recovering the hostages is likely one factor in the incursion into Deir al-Balah, with Hamas believed to be holding several abductees in the city.

But the move has drawn some alarm from hostage families, who have voiced concerns that it could endanger their loved ones’ lives.

It has also drawn condemnation from the UN, which called the offensive a “hammer blow” to humanitarian efforts in the Strip.

The global body’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) confirmed its staff would defy the evacuation order and remain at a number of key sites of civilian infrastructure. This includes Gaza’s only seawater desalination plant, which received a boost this week as Israel confirmed it would reactivate a single power line to connect the site to its national grid.

The expanded ground operation comes after Channel 12 reported that IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir proposed a plan to “take over Gaza” as an alternative to the contentious proposal outlined by Defence Minister Israel Katz to confine the Strip’s entire population to new “humanitarian city” in Rafah.

Katz’s concept, which would include encouraging Gazans to “voluntarily emigrate” to third countries, has been condemned by several humanitarian groups, with Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard calling it “an operation plan for a crime against humanity”.

It was also reported last week that the IDF’s own lawyers had raised concerns that the proposal “could expose Israel to accusations of forced displacement and internment of civilians”.

Zamir is reportedly opposed to the plan and, instead, suggested that the military progressively take control of large parts of Gaza to isolate Hamas.

A separate report in Israel Hayom suggested that this would involve encircling sections of the Strip and cutting them off, rather than taking direct control of most of the territory.

However, the paper also reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu did not allow Zamir to present the plan to the Security Cabinet for deliberation – a claim on which the Prime Minister’s Office is yet to comment.