Gaza's streets are flooded with Hamas' dead bodies on streets, pavements, pits—everywhere. Over 130 eliminated since last night.
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) May 16, 2025
It seems the IDF has officially begun the “Gideon Cheriuts” operation, and they’re not kidding around.
Good job, Israel. 🇮🇱
As of 2:00 pm ET:
Dozens said killed in heavy Israeli strikes across Gaza; Trump: ‘People are starving’[IsraelTimes] IDF says it hit over 150 ‘terror targets’; reports of Israeli tanks advancing ahead of expected major offensive after US president leaves region; Trump: ‘Lot of bad things going on’ in Gaza
Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday killed at least 74 people, Hamas-run authorities said, as US President Donald Trump wrapped up a Middle East visit that skipped Israel and offered little prospect for a ceasefire and hostage deal.
Vowing to take care of Gaza, Trump said “a lot of people are starving in Gaza… There’s a lot of bad things going on.”
Strikes overnight into Friday morning hit the outskirts of Deir al-Balah and the city of Khan Younis, and sent people fleeing from the Jabaliya refugee camp and the town of Beit Lahiya.
The death toll figure, which is not independently verified, does not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas, including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
The Saudi Al-Hadath news channel reported that Israeli tanks advanced in the area of Beit Lahiya.
The IDF said Friday afternoon that it had carried out airstrikes on over 150 “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip over the past day. The targets included anti-tank missile launch posts, cells of operatives, and buildings used by terror groups to carry out attacks on forces, the army said.
Amid ground operations, the IDF said the 252nd Division killed several operatives who were at an observation post in northern Gaza; the Gaza Division destroyed several tunnel shafts and other infrastructure and killed several operatives in Rafah; and the 36th Division destroyed additional Hamas infrastructure and killed operatives trying to plant a bomb in the Morag Corridor area.
The strikes, which could at times be heard as far away as central Israel, sparked panic in northern Gaza.
“We were asleep when suddenly everything exploded around us,” north Gaza resident Umm Mohammed al-Tatari, 57, told AFP.
“Everyone started running. We saw the destruction with our own eyes. There was blood everywhere, body parts and corpses. We didn’t know who was dead and who was still alive.”
Another resident, 33-year-old Ahmed Nasr, said the bombing continued through the night.
| The United Nations estimates that 70 percent of Gaza is now either an Israeli-declared no-go zone or under evacuation order. |
The widespread strikes came as Trump finished his visit to Gulf states — there had been some hope that his regional trip could usher in a deal or expedite the renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel cut off aid to Gaza on March 2, a tactic it has said is intended to force concessions from the terror group Hamas, which is still holding 58 hostages.
TRUMP: LOT OF PEOPLE STARVING
Speaking with reporters in Abu Dhabi, the US president briefly touched on Gaza and the humanitarian situation there.
“We’re looking at Gaza, and we got to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving,” he said. “A lot of people. There’s a lot of bad things going on.”
Asked whether he supports Israeli plans to expand the war in Gaza, Trump told reporters, according to Reuters: “I think a lot of good things are going to happen over the next month, and we’re going to see. We have to help also out the Palestinians. You know, a lot of people are starving in Gaza, so we have to look at both sides.”
[X]
⚠️BREAKING: Hamas' Police Chief, Zaher Alyan Abu-Mossab, was successfully eliminated by the IDF in Gaza.
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) May 16, 2025
There's nowhere to hide. Israel will find them all. pic.twitter.com/MWDsn4WncX
Yup. He's dead now. Who's next?BREAKING: The Israeli Defense Minister confirms that Israel eliminated Mohammed Sinwar. pic.twitter.com/CgAI7EDybe
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 16, 2025
IDF says it is ‘seizing strategic areas’ as it launches first stages of major new Gaza offensive dubbed ‘Gideon’s Chariots’
[IsraelTimes] The IDF says it has launched the first stages of its major offensive in the Gaza Strip, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots.”
“Over the past day, the IDF launched extensive attacks and mobilized forces to seize strategic areas in the Gaza Strip, as part of the opening moves of Operation Gideon’s Chariots and the expansion of the campaign in Gaza, to achieve all the goals of the war in Gaza, including the release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas,” the military says in a statement.
“IDF troops in the Southern Command will continue to operate to protect Israeli citizens and realize the goals of the war,” the military adds.
According to Israeli officials, the Gideon’s Chariots offensive would see the IDF “conquering” Gaza and retaining the territory; moving the Palestinian civilian population toward the south of the Strip; attacking Hamas; and preventing the terror group from taking control of humanitarian aid supplies.
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