Israel Expands Ground Operations in Gaza, Death Toll of Palestinians Reaches 15,500

Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. (Source/IDF)

JAKARTA - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the expansion of its troops' ground operations in Gaza on Sunday, when the death toll of Palestinians in the territory reached 15,500.

Armed clashes broke out again in Gaza last week, after Israel accused the Palestinian militant group Hamas of not upholding an agreement and violating a ceasefire that had been in place for the previous week which resulted in the release of hostages and detainees on both sides, and allowed the entry of humanitarian aid.

"The IDF is continuing and expanding ground operations against Hamas strongholds throughout the Gaza Strip," said IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari in a press conference on Sunday, reported by CNN, December 4.

Admiral Hagari also underscored the "importance of the air support provided by the Air Force to ground forces", saying airstrikes against bases, weapons manufacturing facilities, tunnels and rocket launch sites limited the threat posed to ground operations.

"Our policy is clear, we will resolutely attack any threat to our territory," he added

Meanwhile, the death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has jumped to 15,523 since the start of the conflict on October 7, according to the Ministry of Health in the besieged Palestinian enclave on Sunday.

"The number of victims of Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip reached 15,523 martyrs since October 7," said ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra in a press conference, reported by Anadolu.

The number of injured in the same period has risen to 41,316, Al-Qedra added.

It added that at least 509 Palestinians have been killed and 1,316 injured since Friday as a result of Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, as the week-long ceasefire ended.

It is known that Israel bombarded Gaza and implemented a total blockade, after the Hamas group attacked their southern territory on October 7, which killed 1,200 people. The war was stopped for a week following a ceasefire agreement between both parties, with mediation from Qatar, Egypt and support from the United States.