Israeli Forces Intensify Ground Operations in Gaza as Hamas Launches Rocket Attacks on Israel
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Synopsis
On March 21, the Israeli military announced an expansion of ground operations in southern Gaza, targeting the Shabura refugee camp in Rafah city. Simultaneously, Hamas launched rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation, escalating the ongoing conflict.
Key Takeaways
- Israeli military expands operations in southern Gaza.
- Ground troops advance into Shabura refugee camp.
- Hamas fires rockets in retaliation for civilian casualties.
- UN warns of worsening conditions in Gaza.
- Israeli airstrikes resume after ceasefire collapse.
Jerusalem, March 21 (NationPress) The Israeli military announced that its forces are intensifying their ground operations in southern Gaza, making advances into the Shabura refugee camp located in Rafah city.
According to a statement released on Thursday, the military noted that troops have begun ground activities in the vicinity of Shabura in Rafah, where they have successfully dismantled several terrorist infrastructure sites.
In the meantime, Israeli ground forces maintained their operations in northern and central Gaza, having urged residents to steer clear of the Salah al-Din Road, the primary north-south thoroughfare in the region, and to use coastal routes instead, reported Xinhua news agency.
Israeli forces also targeted the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which had already halted operations due to a lack of fuel and prior attacks. The military asserted that the facility was being utilized by Hamas as a command and control hub to orchestrate attacks against Israeli forces.
The escalation of Israel's offensive follows a targeted ground operation initiated on Wednesday in central and southern Gaza, aimed at creating a buffer zone to separate the northern and southern portions of the enclave, as per Israeli officials.
Shortly after the military's statement, air raid sirens were activated in central and southern Israel on Thursday. The Israel Defense Forces reported that three rockets were launched from southern Gaza, with one being intercepted and the others landing in unpopulated areas. Loud explosions were heard in Tel Aviv, although no immediate casualties were reported.
Hamas’ armed faction, the Al-Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for the rocket barrage, labeling it as a response to Israel's “massacres against civilians.”
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees cautioned on Thursday that “the worst is still to come in light of the ongoing ground invasion in Gaza.”
“Evacuation orders compelling people to flee have been issued, affecting tens of thousands. The vast majority have already been displaced,” said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, on social media platform X.
He highlighted the continuous blockade of aid and stringent siege imposed on the war-torn enclave by Israel, stating there is an “endless unleashing of the most inhumane ordeals” in Gaza.
Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday after a ceasefire that commenced on January 19 fell apart. The Hamas-run media office in Gaza reported on Thursday that the death toll from the renewed Israeli airstrikes has climbed to 591, alongside 1,042 wounded.
