Israeli ministers on Monday approved a plan to intensify military operations against Hamas in Gaza, according to an official. The strategy includes capturing additional territory within the conflict-hit Palestinian enclave and mobilizing tens of thousands of reserve troops.
The official, who requested anonymity due to regulations, said the escalation would unfold gradually. This move could signal a major intensification of hostilities, which resumed in mid-March after Israel and Hamas failed to extend an eight-week ceasefire.
On Sunday, Israel’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir announced the activation of tens of thousands of reserve soldiers and stated the military would expand operations in new parts of Gaza, continuing to target Hamas infrastructure.
Israel currently holds about half of Gaza, including a buffer zone along the Israeli border and three east-west corridors across the enclave. These measures have compressed displaced Palestinians into increasingly smaller areas amid widespread destruction.
In recent weeks, Israel has sought to increase pressure on Hamas in an effort to gain leverage in stalled negotiations. In early March, Israel halted the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza — a restriction still in place — worsening an already dire humanitarian situation for the enclave’s 2.3 million residents. Widespread hunger and looting have been reported.
Since airstrikes resumed on March 18, over 2,600 people have been killed in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to local health authorities.
The previous truce was intended to pave the way for broader negotiations to end the conflict. However, talks have repeatedly stalled over a core disagreement: Israel insists on continuing the war until Hamas is defeated, while Hamas demands a deal that would lead to a full cessation of hostilities.
The conflict began when Hamas-led militants launched a deadly assault in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting about 250. Israel says 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 35 believed to be dead.
According to Palestinian health officials, the Israeli offensive has killed more than 52,000 people in Gaza, including many women and children. The health ministry figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
The war has forced more than 90% of Gaza’s population to flee their homes — often multiple times — leaving much of the territory in ruins and virtually uninhabitable.