“Israel” army says begins “extensive ground operations” in Gaza

The “Israeli” army announced "extensive ground operations" Sunday as part of its newly expanded campaign in the Gaza Strip, where rescuers reported dozens killed in a wave of “Israeli” strikes.

The announcement came just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled “Israel” was open to striking a deal with Hamas that involved "ending the fighting" in the besieged Palestinian Strip.

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The military said that over the past day, troops had "begun extensive ground operations throughout the northern and southern Gaza Strip", adding they had "eliminated dozens of terrorists, dismantled terrorist infrastructure... and are currently being deployed in key positions".

“Israel” says its ramped-up campaign is aimed at freeing captives and defeating Hamas, but as the early stages of the operation got underway Saturday, “Israel” and the group were entering indirect talks in Qatar aimed at hammering out a deal.

In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu's office said that "the negotiation team in Doha is working to exhaust every possibility for a deal -- whether according to the Witkoff framework or as part of ending the fighting", referring to US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been involved in previous discussions.

Such a deal, according to Netanyahu's statement, "would include the release of all the hostages, the exile of Hamas terrorists, and the disarmament of the Gaza Strip".

Ever since a two-month ceasefire fell apart in March as “Israel” resumed its aggression, negotiations mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have failed to reach a breakthrough.

Netanyahu has opposed ending the war without Hamas's total defeat, while Hamas has balked at the prospect of handing over its weapons.

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu said on Saturday that the talks in Doha had kicked off "without any preconditions from either side".

A Hamas source familiar with the negotiations said that "Egyptian and Qatari mediators, along with the American side, are making efforts to bridge the gaps on the disputed issues".