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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Israeli tanks push deep into north Gaza as bombs drop 'every four minutes'</h1><p class="gmail-">Tel
Aviv is preparing for \u2018Operation Gideon\u2019s Chariots,\u2019 a plan to seize
the entirety of Gaza and push the strip\u2019s population into a small piece
of land in the south
</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/news-desk-9" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">News Desk</a></p><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span style="color:rgb(84,88,94)">MAY 16, 2025 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/israeli-tanks-push-deep-into-north-gaza-as-bombs-drop-every-four-minutes">https://thecradle.co/articles/israeli-tanks-push-deep-into-north-gaza-as-bombs-drop-every-four-minutes</a></font></p></div></div><br></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="https://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/90e14c0c-325c-11f0-8d4e-00163e02c055.jpeg" alt="" width="473" height="266" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>(Photo credit: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span class="gmail-article-body"><p>Israeli
tanks advanced near Gaza\u2019s northern city of Beit Lahia on 16 May, as
relentless bombardment has displaced dozens of families and killed
scores more \u2013 raising fears that Tel Aviv\u2019s plan to widen its assault
against the strip will begin soon. </p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p>According to reports, ground forces have carried out incursions into other areas of northwest and southern Gaza as well. </p><p>Warplanes have been launching continuous raids across Gaza since early Friday. </p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p><a href="https://www.maariv.co.il/news/military/article-1197035"><i>Maariv</i></a>
newspaper reported that Israel\u2019s air force has attacked Gaza \u201c60 times
since this morning, with a bomb being heard every four minutes.\u201d</p><p>The Israeli army said it carried out strikes on more than 150 \u201cterror targets\u201d across the strip on 16 May. </p><p>At
least 93 Palestinians were killed since the early morning hours, and
over 200 were injured. Khan Yunis in the south, Deir al-Balah in central
Gaza, and Jabalia and Beit Lahia in the north have all been under heavy
bombardment by Israel. </p><p>In just 36 hours, at least 250 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks. </p><div class="gmail-twitter-tweet gmail-twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"></div> <p>Tel
Aviv has recently approved plans to further expand its genocidal
assault on Gaza. Since renewing its war in March, it has seized at least
50 percent of the strip\u2019s territory and has vowed to seize more. This
has coincided with the continuation of a total <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/israel-to-use-facial-recognition-tech-to-screen-palestinians-in-need-of-aid">Israeli blockade</a>, which has seen the humanitarian situation in the strip deteriorate rapidly.</p><p>The UN has warned of a looming famine across the entirety of the strip.</p><p>Israel\u2019s <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-plan-gaza-what-is-gideon-chariots">upcoming operation</a>,
approved in early May and dubbed \u2018Gideon\u2019s Chariots,\u2019 is expected to
see the Israeli army displace the entire population of Gaza and confine
them to a small piece of land in the south, with troops advancing to
seize the whole strip. </p><p>\u201cThe operation is intended to defeat Hamas
and bring about the release of all the hostages. We will act with great
force to destroy all of Hamas\u2019s military and governmental capabilities.
\u201cFrom the moment the maneuver begins, we will act with great force and
will not stop until all objectives are achieved,\u201d Israeli Defense
Minister Israel Katz <a href="https://www.jns.org/idf-isa-chiefs-green-light-plans-for-expanded-gaza-op/">said</a> on 7 May, adding that the army will stay in \u201cevery area that is taken.\u201d</p><p>According
to several Israeli media reports, the plan will see all of Gaza
captured and the population moved to an area between the Philadelphi
Corridor and the newly established Morag axis. Preparations for the
assault have already begun. </p><p>\u201c[Gaza's] population will be moved.
One thing will be clear: There will be no in-and-out. We'll call up
reserves to come, hold territory \u2013 we're not going to enter and then
exit the area, only to carry out raids afterward. That's not the plan.
The intention is the opposite of that,\u201d Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu stated at the start of this month. </p></span></div></div></div></div>
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