Renewed Conflict in Gaza: Rockets Fired at Tel Aviv as Ground Offensive Intensifies
Tensions in Gaza have escalated again as Hamas fired three rockets at Tel Aviv, marking its first known response since Israel resumed its military operations earlier this week. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted one of the rockets, while the other two landed in uninhabited areas.
The situation in Gaza has grown increasingly dire, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting at least 85 Palestinian casualties from Israeli airstrikes since midnight. In the past two days alone, over 500 people, including many children, have lost their lives. The ongoing violence follows the collapse of ceasefire negotiations, with Israel vowing to intensify attacks until the remaining hostages are released.
The IDF launched a new ground operation in northern Gaza on Thursday, aiming to establish a “partial buffer” between the northern and southern regions. This move marks the most significant escalation since January when a ceasefire had temporarily eased large-scale military actions. Gaza’s health ministry reported that 133 people were injured in Thursday’s attacks.
Israel asserts that Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, with 24 believed to be alive. Israeli officials blame Hamas for the renewed fighting, stating that the group rejected all mediated hostage exchange proposals.
Amid the conflict, humanitarian workers are also suffering heavy losses. The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) confirmed that five of its staff members—including teachers, doctors, and nurses—were among those killed in recent days. The UN also reported that an employee died when its compound in Deir al-Balah was damaged. While the circumstances remain unclear, Gaza’s health ministry attributed the incident to an Israeli airstrike.
International responses to the escalating crisis continue to unfold. The US reaffirmed its support for Israel, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that President Donald Trump “fully supports Israel and the IDF in their recent actions.” Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that a British national was wounded in the conflict.
The human toll of the war remains devastating. In southern Gaza, Qasim Abu Sharqiya mourned the loss of his two-year-old son, Omar, who was killed when a nearby tent was bombed. “Omar was my only son,” he said in grief. At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, a doctor described the overwhelming horror of treating victims, recalling the tragedy as “a level of horror and evil that is really hard to articulate.”
In Israel, thousands of people protested in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, demanding the return of hostages and voicing opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war. Clashes between demonstrators and police led to several arrests, with authorities in Jerusalem using water cannons to disperse crowds.
As the conflict deepens, the suffering on both sides continues, with no immediate resolution in sight.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
