Yesterday, Israel greatly expanded its ground operations throughout Gaza in what they call “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” Last night, IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin stated, “We are entering a new stage in the fighting. During the operation, we will increase and expand our operational control in Gaza, while bisecting the Strip and moving the population for its safety in all the areas where we operate…. Unlike before, we are now focusing on the offensive effort in the Gaza Strip … until the defeat [of Hamas] in the areas where we operate.”
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated, “The directive is clear: Defeat the enemy and destroy its infrastructure wherever we operate.” He claimed that “this is not a halt” to a hostage deal, that the “IDF will allow flexibility for the political echelon to advance any hostage deal…. We are working toward it.”
The European Hospital in Khan Younis was put out of commission by Israeli airstrikes on May 13. Today, the IDF ordered all Gazans out of the area. Over the weekend, the Indonesian Hospital in north Gaza had to end all services.
Yesterday, Israeli strikes killed more than 100 people. Over the last week, the IDF claims they have killed “dozens of terrorists.” Yesterday’s toll brings the total of identified Gazans killed to over 400. Even were every person the IDF identifies as a terrorist actually such, that still means that Israel, by its reckoning, is killing women and children at an unholy rate.
