Israel launches a new military operation in Gaza to pressure Hamas to release hostages

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Israel launches a new military operation in Gaza to pressure Hamas to release hostages

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli airstrike that struck tents at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

2025-05-17T11:52:46Z

                                       

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has launched a major operation in the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages, the defense minister said Saturday, following days of intensive strikes across the territory that killed hundreds of people.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Operation Gideon Chariots was being led with “great force” by Israel’s army.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed earlier in the week to escalate pressure on Hamas with the aim of destroying the militant group that has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.

The operation comes as U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his trip to the region without a visit to Israel. There had been widespread hope that Trump’s trip could increase the chances of a ceasefire deal or the resumption of         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-israel-gaza-crisis-hunger-palestinians-war-9caf8f6eb19efe038c1fd50aa1d2d8ec">humanitarian aid to Gaza, which Israel has prevented for more than two months.

   
       
   

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas have yet to achieve progress in Qatar’s capital, Doha. Hamas, which released an Israeli-American hostage as a goodwill gesture ahead of Trump’s Mideast trip, insists on a deal that eventually ends the three-year war — something Israel said it won’t agree to.

   
       



   

More than 150 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It said almost 3,000 have been killed since         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-hostages-netanyahu-ff48f081b069e484955a72bc68261364">Israel broke a January ceasefire on March 18.

Of the hostages who remain in Gaza, Israel believes as many as 23 are still alive, although Israeli authorities have expressed concern for the status of three of those.

   
   
       
           
               
   
   


   
   

       
   

           
       
   
   

The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 others. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.

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Follow AP’s war coverage at         data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

                                   
                               
                           

                           
                   
                   
                   

                   
                   
   
       
           
       
           
               
   
       
           
               
                   
     
   

   
   
       

   

   
       

   
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                SAMY MAGDY
           
       

       
           
                Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses.
           
       
       
       
           
               
                   
                       
   
   
       
           
       
   
   
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Source: Israel launches a new military operation in Gaza to pressure Hamas to release hostages