Israeli military says it has begun new ground operation in Gaza

Nidal Al-Mughrabi - Reuters - 19/03
The Israeli military resumed ground operations as a second day of airstrikes killed at least 20 Palestinians, according to local health workers.
  • Bombardments resume after nearly two months of calm
  • Hamas and Israel accuse each other of breaking truce
  • At least six killed in airstrikes on Gaza on Wednesday
  • Israel says its forces have begun a focused ground operation
CAIRO, March 19 (Reuters) - The Israeli military said on Wednesday its forces have resumed ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip, as a second day of airstrikes killed at least 20 Palestinians, according to local health workers.
The operations have extended Israel's control over the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects Gaza, and were a "focused" manoeuvre aimed at creating a partial buffer zone between the north and the south of the enclave, the military said.

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The renewed ground operations come a day after more than
400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest days since the beginning of the conflict, shattering a ceasefire has largely held since January.
The United Nations said an Israeli airstrike had killed a foreign staffer and wounded five workers at the site of a U.N. headquarters in central Gaza City on Wednesday. But Israel denied the claim, saying it had hit a Hamas site, where it had detected preparations for firing into Israeli territory.
Item 1 of 13 A foreign worker, who was wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a United Nations headquarter...
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