Israeli army begins ‘extensive’ new ground operations in Gaza

The Israeli army has announced the start of a large-scale offensive in Gaza, describing “extensive ground operations” to seize “operational control” of swaths of the devastated Palestinian territory as a second day of indirect ceasefire talks in Qatar ended without any breakthrough. Hours after the military announced it had launched the new ground operation, the prime minister’s office said Israel would allow some food into Gaza. “They want to release the [hostages] without a commitment to end the war,” the official said. We have nothing left but hope that this war will end as soon as possible,” Rahal told the Guardian. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.