Gaza War | Israeli army accelerates war

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is not expected anytime soon. The Israeli army continues the war with undiminished ferocity. Chief of Staff Ejal Zamir has ordered the expansion of the ground offensive to additional areas, the army announced. According to a media report, Israeli attacks have again resulted in numerous casualties. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the most serious incident was in Jabaliya in the north of the coastal strip, killing 16 people. Others were injured in a building there.

According to Wafa, other incidents in the Gaza Strip also resulted in deaths, including numerous women and minors. The military said that in the past 24 hours, the army "expanded its ground offensive, killing terrorists, and destroying weapons depots and numerous terrorist infrastructure facilities, both above and below ground." According to the health authority, more than 54,400 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the Gaza war began more than a year and a half ago.

Qatar and Egypt continue to advocate for a resumption of indirect talks between the two warring parties on a ceasefire. Hamas declared its readiness to "immediately initiate a round of indirect negotiations to reach an agreement on the contentious issues." The goal is a "permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal" of the army. However, the Israeli government firmly rejects a permanent ceasefire and relies on a military solution to free the hostages.

"We are in the midst of a powerful and relentless operation," Israel's military chief said during a troop visit to the southern Gaza Strip, according to the army. The offensive will continue until "the conditions are created for the return of the hostages and the decisive defeat of Hamas," he said. The terrorist organization is now losing control of the Gaza Strip. Zamir did not provide details.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously ordered the Israeli army to continue advancing and achieve all of its stated war aims – "regardless of any negotiations." Hopes for a ceasefire had recently been dashed for the time being . In response to a proposal by US mediator Steve Witkoff, Hamas agreed to a 60-day ceasefire and the release of some of the hostages it still held, but it set further conditions.

The circumstances surrounding the killing of civilians at a distribution center of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) remain unclear. According to Hamas statements over the weekend, 30 people were killed by Israeli attacks. The Israeli army, for its part, blames Hamas for the shootings.

German Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan (SPD) is urging action against Israel for waging war. "If humanitarian aid is blocked , if international law is not adhered to , then there must be consequences," she told RTL and N-TV on Monday. She specifically referred to a possible halt to arms deliveries. The government will discuss this in the coming days. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, and this cannot continue." With agencies