Israel Launches Major Gaza Offensive Amid Mounting Global Outcry and Humanitarian Crisis

Israel Launches Major Gaza Offensive Amid Mounting Global Outcry and Humanitarian Crisis

Last Updated May - 17 - 2025, 04:01 PM | Source : Fela News

Israel begins Operation Gideon’s Chariots with massive strikes in Gaza, aiming to defeat Hamas and free hostages. Over 100 killed; UN warns of ethnic cleansing

The Israeli military announced on Saturday (May 17, 2025) that it had launched a large-scale assault in Gaza, marking the beginning of a new phase in its ongoing campaign. The military said on Telegram that it had entered the "initial stages" of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, aimed at achieving key war objectives including the defeat of Hamas and the release of hostages. An English-language statement also confirmed that troops were being mobilized to secure operational control across parts of the Gaza Strip.

According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, Israeli airstrikes killed 100 people on Friday, while the Israeli military claimed it targeted over 150 “terror sites” within 24 hours.

Israel reignited its military campaign on March 18 after a two-month ceasefire in the conflict that began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack. The renewed strikes have drawn widespread international criticism. NGOs are warning of dire shortages of essentials like food, water, medicine, and fuel, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing calls to lift the aid blockade on Gaza.

On Friday, the UN’s human rights chief Volker Türk strongly criticized Israel’s actions, suggesting they may amount to an effort to permanently displace Gaza’s population — a move he said could constitute ethnic cleansing under international law.

Meanwhile, families of Israeli hostages urged Netanyahu to prioritize diplomatic solutions, accusing him of missing a “historic opportunity” to bring their loved ones home.

Hamas, which freed the last U.S.-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander last week through negotiations reportedly involving only the U.S., called on Washington to pressure Israel into reopening aid routes into Gaza. Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said the group expects the U.S. to act quickly to ensure humanitarian access.

Israel has defended the aid blockade as a strategy to push Hamas into making concessions. However, U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged during a regional visit in Abu Dhabi that conditions in Gaza are dire, stating, “A lot of people are starving,” and pledged action.

The Arab League was scheduled to meet in Baghdad on Saturday to address ongoing regional conflicts, with Gaza expected to dominate discussions. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez—who has been vocally critical of Israel’s actions—were expected to participate.

The October 7 Hamas attack claimed the lives of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. As of now, 57 remain in Gaza, with 34 presumed dead, according to Israeli military data.

Gaza’s health ministry reports that since the resumption of hostilities on March 18, 2,985 people have been killed, bringing the total death toll of the war to 53,119.

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