The Israeli military said the ground maneuvers were part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, an offensive that could include the occupation of Gaza.

Israel launched an extensive ground operation in Gaza Sunday in addition to an intense air campaign that health officials in the territory say killed over 100 people overnight and shuttered the last functioning hospital in the enclave’s north.

CAIRO: Israel will ease its blockade and let limited amounts of food into Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday (May 18), after the military announced it had begun "extensive ground operations" in the northern and southern parts of the enclave.