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Israel launches ground operation to retake part of key corridor in Gaza

The move appeared to deepen a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza, which shattered a ceasefire with Hamas that had begun in January.

Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israel has launched “limited ground operation” in northern Gaza on Wednesday to retake part of a corridor that bisects the territory, as country’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that military plans to up the attack.

The two month long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which came into effect on January 19, was shattered with Israel’s recent offensive and its military stated that it had retaken part of the Netzarim corridor, from where the country had withdrawn earlier as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Palestine citizens that Tel Aviv’s military would soon order evacuation from combat zones, and if Hamas doesn’t release a dozen hostages, who have been held for more than 17 months, then the attack would become more fierce.

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Palestinians evacuate an injured man after his house was hit by an Israeli bombardment in Gaza City. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Amid Israel’s continued offensive in Gaza, the United Nations said that one of its staffer was killed in the airstrike and five others were wounded as airstrikes hit a UN guesthouse on Wednesday.

Hamas is responsible for this war. pic.twitter.com/JRabT6KAv4

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 18, 2025

According to head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, the explosive ordnance was “dropped or fired” and the blast which killed one UN staffer was not accidental or or related to demining activity.

Also Read | ‘This is just the beginning’: Netanyahu says talks to restore Gaza ceasefire will continue ‘only under fire’

However, Silva declined to confirm who carried out the strike on the United Nations’ guesthouse. He even declined to provide the nationalities of the deceased staffer and those injured in the incident.

The United Nations body, UNOPS, carries out infrastructure and development projects around the world.

Israel has been carrying out airstrikes against Gaza based Hamas militant group since early Tuesday, and denied the media reports which suggested that it had hit a UN compound.

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Earlier, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said that Hamas was solely responsible for the collapse of ceasefire and a resumption of hostilities and warned that it is “just the beginning” as he called to continue the negotiations on restoring the ceasefire but “only under fire”.

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