Israeli authorities prevented Ayed Ayoub from escaping Gaza's hunger and war with his family for an academic fellowship in France. He finally left last month, after Israel unexpectedly eased its tight control of the border.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday it had launched attacks and mobilized forces to seize areas in the Gaza Strip, as part of Operation Gideon's Chariots and

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to escalate pressure with the aim of destroying the militant group that has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.