Israel amasses thousands of troops, tanks near Gaza border ahead of expected ground offensive

Israeli military vehicles were seen in southern Israel, near the border with Gaza on Saturday. Footage captured by The Associated Press showed a variety of vehicles, including a tank driving on a hill, and military vehicles, some carrying personnel, driving along a road.

Israel has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops along the border ahead of an expected ground offensive. Since mid-week, the military has reported nightly hours-long raids by ground forces into Gaza, saying troops struck Hamas targets with the aim of preparing the battlefield.

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has soared past 7,300, more than 60% of them minors and women, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. A blockade on Gaza has meant dwindling supplies, and the U.N. warned that its aid operation helping hundreds of thousands of people was “crumbling” amid near-depleted fuel.

The Associated Press cannot confirm the figures provided by the territory's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas.

More than 1,400 people were slain in Israel during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, according to the Israeli government, and at least 229 hostages were taken into Gaza. Among those killed were at least 310 soldiers, according to the military.

Palestinian militants have fired thousands of rockets into Israel.

The overall number of deaths far exceeds the combined toll of all four previous Israel-Hamas wars, estimated at around 4,000