Under a pall of smoke rising from Gaza's fractured landscape, Israeli tanks advanced deeper into the enclave's central and southern regions on Wednesday, reigniting a conflict that had lain dormant since January.
The ground offensive, described by Israel as a focused effort to carve a buffer zone bisecting Gaza, follows several airstrikes in the previous days, drawing sharp condemnation from global leaders.
The military's push into the Netzarim Corridor comes after a single-day toll of over 400 Palestinian deaths, shattering a fragile truce that had offered fleeting respite to civilians navigating rubble-strewn streets and dwindling aid.
Hamas accused Israel of orchestrating a total coup against the ceasefire by sealing critical evacuation routes, while Israel defended its actions as necessary to dismantle Hamas infrastructure, alleging the group had exploited the pause to regroup.
As families in Israel rallied against Prime Minister Netanyahu, demanding action for remaining hostages, Gaza's hospitals overflowed with casualties, their walls echoing stories of displacement and hunger in a territory where 49,000 have perished since October.
The United Nations warned of catastrophic aid shortages, Arab nations floated stalled reconstruction plans, and Western powers decried the violence, even as divisions deepened over responsibility. For now, it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold.