Israel Launches ‘Operation Gideon Chariots’ to Crush Hamas and Free Hostages as Gaza Starvation Worsens
In a dramatic escalation of its months-long war with Hamas, Israel has launched a new military campaign Operation Gideon Chariots aimed at crushing the militant group and forcing the release of hostages still held in Gaza.
Announcing the operation, Defense Minister Israel Katz said the offensive is being carried out with “great force” and is backed by the full strength of the Israeli military.
“The heroism of IDF soldiers and the unity of our people increases the chances of returning our hostages,” he said.
The new assault follows days of relentless airstrikes that have already claimed hundreds of lives, according to Gaza’s health officials.
Bombing ‘Above, Below, and Beyond’ Gaza
IDF spokesman Col. Avichai Adraee said Israel is intensifying attacks across the entire Gaza Strip—from its northern tip to the southern borders.
“We are expanding the bombing, targeting Hamas above ground, underground, and even outside the Strip,” Adraee said from Gaza in a video statement.
The Israeli military insists it won’t stop until Hamas is dismantled and every hostage is returned. So far, more than 150 people have died in the last 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Since Israel broke the January ceasefire on March 18, over 3,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Netanyahu’s Promise: No Let-Up Until Hamas Falls
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already warned of a major escalation, vowing to end Hamas’s two-decade rule in Gaza once and for all.
But this new operation comes at a time when the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is spiraling out of control. The war has now dragged on for nearly 19 months, and more than 53,000 Palestinians many women and children have died, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
President Trump Skips Israel, Warns of Starvation in Gaza
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who just concluded a regional visit to the Middle East, skipped Israel entirely a move seen by some as a signal of growing tension with Netanyahu’s government.
“We’re looking at Gaza, and we’re going to get that taken care of,” Trump said. “A lot of people are starving.”
He’s not exaggerating.
For over two months, Israel has enforced a total blockade on Gaza cutting off food, medicine, and fuel. Aid groups, the United Nations, and food security experts now warn that famine is imminent unless the blockade is lifted.
The Faces of the Crisis: Children Starving to Death
Among the most heart-wrenching stories to emerge is that of Najwa Hajaj, a 6-year-old girl whose body weighs just 13 pounds the average weight of a 3-month-old baby. Her father, Hussain Hajaj, broke down as he described his helplessness.
“She is dying in my hands, and I can’t do anything. I can barely feed her,” he told CBS News.
According to the World Food Programme, at least 14,000 children in Gaza are now suffering from severe malnutrition.
Hostage Talks at a Standstill
While the bombs fall, negotiators in Doha, Qatar continue trying to hammer out a ceasefire agreement. But progress is painfully slow.
Hamas, which released an Israeli-American hostage ahead of Trump’s trip, is demanding a permanent end to the war a condition Israel flatly rejects. Of the 251 people abducted in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, 23 hostages are believed to still be alive. Israeli officials fear that three of them may already be dead.
A War With No Clear End
The war began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led surprise attack on southern Israel that left 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage. In response, Israel launched one of the most devastating military campaigns in the region’s history, displacing millions and pushing Gaza to the brink of collapse.
As Operation Gideon Chariots begins, the world watches hoping for hostages to be freed, fearing for the innocent, and wondering how much longer Gaza can endure.
Reference