'Israel' launches multi-axis assault in Gaza under 'Gideon’s Chariots'
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As "Israel" intensifies its offensive across five axes in Gaza, civilian casualties mount, humanitarian aid remains blocked, and international bodies warn of possible ethnic cleansing.
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Israeli occupation’s tanks parked in a staging area near the border with Gaza, Friday, May 16, 2025 (AP)
The Israeli occupation has intensified its aggression across five military axes in Gaza, launching overnight airstrikes and ground incursions under what the occupation calls "Operation Gideon’s Chariots," Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in the Strip reported. The bombardment has led to more civilian casualties and further destruction in the besieged enclave.
One Palestinian was killed and several others were wounded after an Israeli strike targeted a group of civilians east of Khan Younis. Concurrently, residential buildings were also demolished in the town of al-Qarara, also in the southern part of the Strip.
Israeli artillery shelling targeted several areas, including Abu Holi, Abu al-‘Ajin, and al-Ja‘frawi, amid intense gunfire southeast of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Additionally, the eastern al-Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City came under artillery bombardment.
Our correspondent confirmed that civil defense teams were unable to reach homes destroyed in the attacks due to the severity of the bombardment. Over 24 hours, more than 100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air and ground attacks, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense.
Eyewitnesses described it as a "night of terror," with rescue teams retrieving bodies from beneath the rubble amid relentless Israeli airstrikes.
Gaza faces new escalation amid ground invasions
In a dangerous escalation, amid increasing calls from Israeli officials to permanently occupy the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army has advanced on multiple fronts. In a related development, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that the Israeli military has now taken full control of Rafah in the southern part of the Strip.
In addition to its full control over Rafah, the Israeli occupation has launched coordinated assaults on several other axes across the Gaza Strip.
According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, Israeli forces advanced east of Deir al-Balah, completely controlling a strategic high ground. Simultaneous operations targeted the eastern neighborhoods of al-Tuffah and al-Shujaiya in Gaza City, while a new incursion was launched into northern Beit Lahia on Friday. Further east of Jabalia, the Israeli army deployed military vehicles and booby-trapped robots in an intensified push.
These offensives come as the Israeli army spokesperson announced the launch of the first phase of "Operation Gideon’s Chariots," aimed at fulfilling what the occupation defines as the "objectives of the war," including the elimination of the Palestinian Resistance and the retrieval of captives held in Gaza.
Humanitarian aid blocked as UN warns of famine
Despite growing international concern, "Israel" continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. The United Nations estimates that 70% of Gaza is now either under evacuation orders or classified as a restricted military zone.
As part of the agreement with Washington that led to the release of Idan Alexander, senior Hamas official Taher al-Nounou told AFP that the group was "awaiting and expecting the US administration to exert further pressure" on "Israel" to "open the crossings and allow the immediate entry of humanitarian aid."
Al-Nounou's comments followed a sharp response from Hamas to US President Donald Trump, who had once again floated the idea of transforming Gaza into “a freedom zone". The group rebuffed the suggestion, declaring that Gaza was not “for sale".
The US-backed NGO Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has reportedly announced plans to distribute aid in northern Gaza. However, the United Nations said it would not participate in this mechanism, citing concerns over neutrality and independence.
International condemnation, accusations of ethnic cleansing
International condemnation of the Israeli actions in Gaza is mounting. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk stated that the recent escalation may constitute ethnic cleansing.
In a recent statement, he stressed, “This latest barrage of bombs, forcing people to move amid the threat of intensified attacks, the methodical destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the denial of humanitarian assistance underline that there appears to be a push for a permanent demographic shift in Gaza that is in defiance of international law and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”
Furthermore, Turk expressed alarm that the escalation could mark the beginning of a broader Israeli military campaign, calling on all parties, particularly states with direct influence, to intervene. “We must stop the clock on this madness,” he urged.
Medical system on verge of collapse
The High Commissioner also highlighted that Gaza's medical system is on the verge of collapse, displacement orders are shrinking the space available in shelters, and families are enduring inhumane conditions in tents, while extreme hunger worsens under the ongoing Israeli blockade.
It is worth noting that seven European nations also called for an end to the aggression and the lifting of the blockade. The Council of Europe described the situation as "deliberate starvation".
Netanyahu squandered 'historic opportunity'
In a different context, the Hostages Families Forum accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “squandering a historic opportunity,” while another group, the Tikva Forum, advocated for increased military pressure and a total siege, including the cutoff of water and electricity, to secure the release of the remaining 57 captives.
The Hostages Families Forum said, “Squandering this historic opportunity will be a catastrophic failure that will forever be a mark of shame.”
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