Israeli security official: Army prepares for new escalation in Gaza to pressure on Hamas

OCCUPIED QUDS, May 17 (YPA) – An Israeli security official stated that the occupation forces are preparing to enter a new phase of military escalation in the Gaza Strip, aiming to intensify attacks against Palestinian resistance factions and increase pressure on them.

According to Israeli Channel 12 on Friday evening, the official, whose identity was not disclosed, said that “the next phase will include expanding the military operations and attacks on Hamas infrastructure, in addition to targeting new sites to increase military and political pressure on the movement.”

These statements come amid the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for more than 19 months, where the humanitarian situation is suffering from a near-total collapse, while international organizations continue to warn of the possibility of imminent famine and a catastrophic deterioration in health services and living conditions in the besieged Strip.

This escalation coincides with the continued ground and air attacks by the Israeli occupation forces, particularly around the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Despite growing international opposition to any expansion of military operations there, concerns are growing about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that could affect more than one million displaced people inside the Strip.

YPA