Israeli troops re-imposed a blockade of the northern capital of Gaza City on Thursday, less than a day after once again deploying troops into the Gaza Strip.
Israel continued with its bombardment of Gaza as well, killing 85 Palestinians from Wednesday into Thursday, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. Israel maintained the blockade of Gaza City for much of the war prior to the January ceasefire, which collapsed earlier this week.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) warned residents not to use the main road to travel north into Gaza City.
The IDF is also conducting further ground operations in the northern town of Beit Lahiya. Most of the Palestinian deaths over the past 24 hours have centered on the town.
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Hamas launched a handful of rockets into Israel on Thursday, resulting in no casualties.
The total death toll in Gaza since Tuesday has risen to 592, according to the health ministry. The death toll has not been independently verified.
In addition to the blockade at Gaza City, IDF troops are also deployed to the Netzarim corridor, a key section of Gaza that essentially cuts the strip in half. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that Israel will continue its military operations until every hostage has been returned from Hamas custody.
“Hamas refused offer after offer to release our hostages. In the past two weeks, Israel did not initiate any military action, in the hope that Hamas would change course. Well, that didn’t happen. While Israel accepted the offer of President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas flatly refused to do so,” Netanyahu said in a video shared to X on Tuesday. “This is why I authorized yesterday, the renewal of military action against Hamas.”
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“Israel does not target Palestinian civilians. We target Hamas terrorists,” he declared. “And when these terrorists embed themselves in civilian areas, when they use civilians as human shields, they’re the ones who are responsible for all unintended casualties.”
