Israel announces 'extensive' ground invasion of Gaza amid high stakes ceasefire talks

The Israeli military declared on Sunday it had begun an "extensive ground operation" in Gaza as part of an intensified assault which has killed hundreds of Palestinians over the past several days.

The announcement came despite high stakes ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas continuing in Qatar, where mediators are hoping to pressure both sides to agree to a new temporary truce.

A key meeting of Israel’s war cabinet is expected to happen on Sunday, where ministers will choose between a US-backed ceasefire plan or widening the devastating military campaign under what the government has dubbed Operation Gideon’s Chariots.

Israel is under growing international pressure to accept a deal. Officials say Israel is open to small changes in the American proposal by envoy Steve Witkoff, but is refusing to make serious compromises. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says all Israeli captives must be released before stopping the war.

On the ground in Gaza, the situation is getting worse. Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 250 people in recent days. At least 125 people died early Sunday, including women, children, and at least five journalists, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

One of the deadliest strikes hit a tent camp in al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, where displaced families were sheltering. Videos showed bodies burned and scattered, with survivors rushed to overcrowded field hospitals.

This latest wave of violence comes amid reports of a new Israeli plan to physically divide Gaza into isolated civilian zones.

A leaked military map, obtained by The Sunday Times and reportedly shared with diplomats, outlines Israel’s vision for the post-war future of Gaza if no ceasefire is reached.

The plan, part of a strategy labelled "the complete takeover of Gaza", would divide the territory into three heavily fortified military corridors—north, central, and south—separating Palestinian civilians into four enclaves.

According to the report, the Israeli army wants to control three major areas: one in the north, one in the centre near the Netzarim corridor, and one in the south near Rafah. Palestinians would need permission to move between areas. Aid deliveries would also be controlled, with barcodes and tags used to track packages. Only 12 specific places would be used to hand out aid.

Work has already started to prepare these zones with bulldozers already clearing land along the Netzarim corridor. In the north, the military is making room for more roads and bases. The full project could take about three weeks and would mark the first step toward a long-term military presence in Gaza.

The illegal plan is backed by the United States, which is helping set up a system where private companies deliver aid under Israeli military watch. This is similar to how checkpoints operate in the West Bank. Aid to Gaza has been mostly blocked since March 2, making hunger and illness worse across the territory.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke out strongly on Israel's horrific attacks in Gaza and its plans for permanent control of the territory.

At an Arab League summit in Baghdad, he said: "The situation for Palestinians in Gaza is beyond inhumane." He called for a permanent ceasefire and said blocking food and aid was against international law.

Despite Israeli denials, reports say Hamas is offering to release half of the remaining hostages, both alive and dead, in exchange for a two-month ceasefire. But Israel says this offer isn’t serious. According to Axios, Israel’s team in Doha believes there is a real chance for a deal and is urging Netanyahu to keep negotiating.

On Saturday night, thousands of people protested in Tel Aviv and other cities, demanding a deal to bring the remaining Israeli captives in Gaza home and end the war. Families of the hostages accused Netanyahu of dragging out the war to stay in power. In Rehovot, clashes broke out between protesters and Netanyahu supporters, with videos showing physical fights and insults.