Israel to launch ground operations in Deir al-Balah for first time

The Israeli military has announced that it was set to begin ground operations in Deir al-Balah for the first time since the start of the war, issuing an evacuation order for Palestinians in the southwest of the city in the central Gaza Strip.

“The IDF continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terror infrastructure in the area, as it expands its activities into an area where it has not operated before,” the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, said on X, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

The expansion into Deir al-Balah was announced as fighting continued across the Strip, and alongside ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Qatar, where Israel has accused Hamas of dragging out its response to an Israeli proposal. On Saturday night, thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to call for the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza.

Deir al-Balah is one of the few places in the Strip where the military has not yet operated with ground troops because it believed Hamas to be holding hostages there, though it has conducted airstrikes in the city. Hamas has vowed to execute captives if the IDF approaches.

The IDF has avoided ground operations in areas where it believes Hamas to be holding hostages, in order not to endanger them.

By Khagan Isayev