![Israeli army's tanks and military vehicles move along the border line in Israel as Israel's attacks continue on Gaza Strip on May 20, 2025. [Mostafa Alkharouf - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AA-20250520-38018389-38018373-ISRAELI_ATTACKS_CONTINUE_ON_GAZA-1.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1)
The Israeli army has deployed the regular infantry and armored brigades to the Gaza Strip as part of a military buildup following its decision to expand a ground offensive in the enclave that is facing genocidal attacks, Anadolu reports.
The army has deployed nine of its regular infantry and armored brigades into the Strip in the last 24 hours, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported, citing unnamed military sources.
The broadcaster claimed that the move is “part of expanding ground maneuvers in the Strip,” without providing information on the number of soldiers involved.
On May 4, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved the “Chariots of Gideon” operation to expand the genocide in Gaza. The government later began implementing it by calling up tens of thousands of reservists.
On May 18, the army launched the plan with a ground assault from several directions.
According to KAN, the operation is expected to last months and includes “the full evacuation of Gaza’s population from combat zones, including northern Gaza, to areas in the south.” The army is expected to “remain” in any area it “occupies.”
During the last week, the army announced the deployment of Divisions 98 and 162 into Gaza as part of its military buildup, joining three other divisions that are already present — 252, 143, and 36.
According to the same military sources cited by KAN, current combat operations are “concentrated in two main areas: northern Gaza and the Khan Younis area to the south.”
The sources added that “the army warned residents of these areas about a week ago to evacuate, ahead of planned intensive aerial bombardments.”
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Friday, over 172,000 people have been displaced in Gaza in the past week due to intense Israeli attacks and the siege.
Residents report that the displaced are not spared from Israeli fire, as they are often targeted during displacement and in areas to which they flee, resulting in large numbers of casualties.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 53,900 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
READ: UN’s bread distribution plan ‘unjust,’ fails to meet basic needs: Gaza Bakery Owners Association
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