Israel’s military says it has been “conducting extensive strikes and mobilising troops” as part of preparations to expand operations in Gaza.
More than 300 people have been killed in strikes on Gaza since Thursday, according to local health authorities, as Israel appeared ready for a new ground offensive.
It is one of the deadliest phases of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March.
The director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, Marwan Al-Sultan, said it had received 58 bodies since midnight “while a large number of victims remain under the rubble”.
“The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic,” he added.
Smoke rises over northern Gaza following an Israeli airstrike on Friday. Pic: AP
Tents were targeted in an airstrike on Saturday at al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah in central Gaza. Pic: AP
The Israeli military’s preparations to expand operations in Gaza have included the build-up of tanks and troops along the border.
This week’s deadly strikes in Gaza have marked a significant escalation in Israel’s offensive.
It is part of “Operation Gideon Chariot”, which Israel says is aimed at defeating Hamas and getting its hostages back.
An Israeli defence official said earlier this month that the operation would not be launched before Donald Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East.
Israeli tanks near the Israel-Gaza border on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
An Israeli tank being relocated to a position near the Gaza border on Friday. Pic: AP
The US president ended his trip on Friday, with no apparent progress towards a new ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Sky’s US partner network NBC News has reported that up to a million Palestinians could be permanently relocated from Gaza to war-torn Libya under plans being worked on by Mr Trump’s administration.
It is understood that the idea has been discussed with Libya’s leadership and would potentially see billions of dollars in frozen Libyan funds released.
However, a US government spokesperson denied the NBC report, saying: “The situation on the ground is untenable for such a plan. Such a plan was not discussed and makes no sense.”
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Forensic look at Israel’s escalation
On Saturday, the annual summit of the Arab League is taking place, with the war in Gaza expected to feature in discussions.
The meeting comes two months after Israel ended a ceasefire reached with the Hamas militant group.
A man carrying the body of a child killed in Israeli airstrikes on Friday in Jabalia, northern Gaza. Pic: Reuters
Parts of northern Gaza have been completely destroyed in the bombing campaign. Pic: Reuters
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 5 May that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing Gaza and controlling aid.
This week, Israel said it had bombed the European Hospital because it was home to an underground Hamas base, but Sky News analysis has cast doubt on its evidence.
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Israel’s goal is the elimination of Hamas, which attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages.
Its military response has killed more than 53,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.