Gaza Health Ministry Says 146 Killed in Israeli Strikes as Hamas Returns to Negotiating Table
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 146 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, Gazan health authorities said Saturday, marking one of the deadliest episodes in months as Israel prepares for a full-scale ground offensive.
The intense bombardment comes as US President Donald Trump concluded his Middle East tour Friday without achieving progress toward a new ceasefire. Since the collapse of a truce in March, Gaza has seen escalating military operations, with Israeli tanks reportedly advancing and airstrikes intensifying across northern and southern areas.
Israel’s military confirmed it was conducting extensive aerial operations and mobilizing ground forces as part of “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at eliminating Hamas and recovering Israeli hostages. “We are gradually increasing forces; Hamas remains defiant,” the military said. An Israeli defense official previously stated that the operation would not begin until Trump completed his regional visit.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
In a statement Saturday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said the renewed military pressure has shifted Hamas’s negotiating posture. “With the launch of Operation Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza… the Hamas delegation in Doha announced a return to negotiations on a hostage deal,” Katz stated. “This came despite their prior refusal to engage—and without a ceasefire or humanitarian aid resumption.”
Katz added that the return to talks was due to “the heroism of IDF soldiers, the unity of the people, and the determination of the political leadership.”
Gaza’s already crippled health infrastructure is now on the brink of collapse. Health authorities report 459 injuries over the last day, with many hospitals nonfunctional due to Israeli strikes and acute shortages of medical supplies after 76 days of blocked humanitarian aid.
Israel’s army has begun massing armored vehicles near Gaza’s border, issuing evacuation orders for residents of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp, while eyewitnesses report tank movements toward Khan Yunis in the south.
