'98th Division has returned from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank to operate in Gaza,' says army
The Israeli army announced on Thursday the redeployment of the 98th Division to the Gaza Strip, continuing a growing military buildup in recent days.
“The 98th Division has returned from Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank to operate in Gaza (without specifying the date of return) as part of Operation Gideon's Chariots,” the army said in a statement.
The Israeli military on Sunday said it launched a new ground operation in multiple areas of the Gaza Strip under what it called “Operation Gideon's Chariots,” marking a significant escalation in its ongoing genocide.
Since March 2, Israel has maintained a strict blockade on Gaza, denying entry to humanitarian aid and pushing the territory into famine, which has already claimed numerous lives. Only 87 aid trucks were reportedly allowed entry – a fraction of the humanitarian need, with much of the aid stalled at border crossings.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing over 53,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
