Israel has announced that its ground forces have entered Gaza overnight to target Hamas objectives. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that they are “preparing for a ground invasion,” which could happen soon. He mentioned, “I will not go into specifics about the timing, methods, or the number of operations” during a televised address to the public on Wednesday evening.
Gaza, which has been under heavy Israeli airstrikes for nearly three weeks, is already facing significant challenges. The recent Israeli bombardment began in response to a violent incident in southern Israel, where Hamas militants with support from Iran carried out a mass attack.
Hamas has made threats to harm some of the more than 200 people they brought back to Gaza. Israel has stated that more than half of these individuals hold foreign passports from 25 different countries.
Various Iranian-supported groups have attempted attacks on Israel in different parts of the region. Western leaders are concerned that a high number of Palestinian civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, which could potentially escalate into a larger conflict.
President Joe Biden spoke with Netanyahu, discussing ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release of Americans believed to be held as hostages in Gaza, as stated by the White House.
They also talked about ensuring a safe way out for foreigners who want to leave Gaza, maintaining a consistent flow of aid into the narrow coastal area, which is under blockade by Israel, and establishing a path towards lasting peace with the Palestinian people.
The White House mentioned, “The President reaffirmed that Israel has every right and responsibility to protect its citizens from terrorism and to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law.”
The remarks show that there’s a delicate balance in the U.S. when it comes to supporting Israel’s actions. This comes after Biden faced criticism for questioning the accuracy of Palestinian casualty numbers.
Netanyahu hints at the possibility of multiple ground invasions being planned
Israeli military radio reported that overnight, they conducted their largest operation into northern Gaza during the ongoing conflict with Hamas, as Israel has committed to eliminating the group.
The military later shared a video showing armored vehicles crossing the heavily fortified border from Israel and demolishing buildings, all as part of preparations for future combat phases.
According to the military, “Tanks and infantry targeted various terrorist groups, infrastructure, and locations where anti-tank missiles were launched.”
People in Gaza reported that Israeli airstrikes hit the area again overnight, and those living in central Gaza, near the Bureij refugee camp and east of Qarara village, experienced heavy tank shelling throughout the night.
Hamas didn’t directly address the Israeli report, but they stated that their armed wing had targeted an Israeli helicopter east of Bureij. The Israeli military responded by saying they were “not aware of this.”
Israel has been conducting intense airstrikes in the densely populated Gaza Strip following the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israeli communities, which Israel claims resulted in the deaths of about 1,400 people.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed in these airstrikes.
In Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike struck a house, tragically killing a mother, her three daughters, and a baby boy. The father, who had experienced displacement in 1948, vowed not to leave, holding the baby’s lifeless body and expressing the innocence of his family.
The director of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, located in the southern part of Gaza, Nahed Abu Taaema, reported that they received the bodies of 77 people who were killed in airstrikes overnight. Most of the casualties were women and children, as per information from Hamas’s Al-Aqsa radio station.
Many Palestinians have sought refuge in Khan Younis’s hospitals, schools, homes, and existing refugee camps after Israel advised them to leave their homes in the northern areas.
Israel didn’t directly respond to the report but mentioned that its forces targeted a Hamas surface-to-air missile launch site in the Khan Younis region. They stated that this site had been placed near a mosque and a kindergarten. It’s unclear if both sides are referring to the same incident.
Humanitarian supplies are in critically short supply, but the United Nations failed to reach an agreement among world powers on how to pause the fighting and provide substantial aid. As the civilian casualties continue to rise, mass graves are being used.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that on Thursday, 12 trucks carrying food, water, and medical supplies entered from Egypt, making a total of 74 trucks since Saturday. However, this still falls far short of Gaza’s usual needs during peacetime. Israel has not allowed fuel to enter, fearing that Hamas would stockpile it.
The United States is worried about attacks on its troops backed by Iran
Due to concerns that the conflict in Gaza could spread, the Wall Street Journal reported that Israel has agreed to hold off on a ground invasion of Gaza until U.S. air defense systems can be set up in the area, possibly as early as this week. This is to safeguard American forces.
When asked about this report, U.S. officials told Reuters that they had expressed their worries to Israel regarding the potential for Iran and Iranian-supported Islamist groups to intensify the conflict by targeting U.S. troops in the Middle East. They pointed out that an Israeli move into Gaza could act as a catalyst for actions by Iranian proxies.
On another note, Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Syrian military installations in response to rocket attacks from Syria, which is an ally of Iran. Israel has also taken action against Syria’s Aleppo airport and Hezbollah, a group supported by Iran and based in Lebanon.
Iran, which is a major adversary of Israel, supports various armed groups in countries like Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, in addition to providing assistance to Hamas. They have been doing this as part of a long-standing effort to expand their influence in the region. Iran has cautioned Israel to halt its extensive military actions in Gaza.
