JERUSALEM

The Israeli army said Sunday that its forces will fight in the southern Gaza Strip against Hamas militants “as they did in the north.”

"We fought hard and thoroughly in the north of the Gaza Strip and we will do it now in the south,” said Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi.

Halevi “toured the Gaza Division today and had a conversation with the reservists in the sector,” according to an army statement.

Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio reported that the army embarked on a ground operation in the southern Gaza Strip.

It said the army began operating in the north of Khan Yunis.

“The Israeli army is expected to advance its forces in the region and expand its ground operation,” it added.

The Israeli army resumed bombing the Gaza Strip early Friday after declaring an end to a week-long humanitarian pause.

At least 509 Palestinians have been killed and 1,316 injured since Friday in Israeli airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surged to 15,523 since the start of the conflict on Oct. 7, the Health Ministry in the besieged Palestinian enclave announced Sunday.

The number of wounded through the same period has risen to 41,316.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi