On Sunday, Israel maintained its targeted air raids against Hamas facilities in southern Gaza, indicating that it will step up its attacks in preparation for the next stage of its battle against the Iran-backed Islamic terrorist group.
When questioned about a possible ground assault into Gaza, Israel's military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told Israeli reporters in a late-Saturday briefing that the IDF was attempting to establish perfect conditions.
“We will deepen our attacks to minimize the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks, from today,” Mr. Hagari said.
“For your own safety move southward,” he said, directing his message to Gaza City residents. “We will continue to attack in the area of Gaza City and increase attacks.”
For a possible ground invasion, Israel has gathered tanks and personnel along the fortified border around the small Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
More over two weeks ago, Hamas terrorists unleashed an unprecedented, terrible onslaught on Israel, involving hundreds of missiles fired from Gaza and a slaughter of innocent citizens in Israel's south. On Israel's side of the border, at least 1,400 people were killed and many more were injured.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Health Ministry, which is backed by Hamas, claims that over 4,000 people have been killed and over 12,500 have been injured in Gaza. Some Palestinian casualties in past Gaza battles were ultimately discovered to have been caused by Hamas missiles that fell short. On Saturday, Israel's military assessed that Hamas fired at least 550 rockets intended at Israel, all of which failed and landed inside the Gaza Strip.
Terrorists have kidnapped at least 210 Israelis, including 30 children, and brought them to Gaza. On Friday, Hamas freed the first two hostages.
The Israeli military distributed a video on Saturday in which Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi told troops: “We are going to go into the Gaza Strip, we will embark on a professional operational mission to destroy Hamas operatives and Hamas infrastructure and we will have in our mind the memories of the images and those who fell on Saturday two weeks ago.”
Israeli troops have carried out live fire drills “in preparations for the next stage of war,” according to footage the Israeli army released on Saturday.
The United States presented a draft resolution to the United Nations late Saturday. Security Council resolution affirming Israel's right to self-defense and urging Iran to stop exporting guns to "militias and terrorist groups threatening peace and security across the region."
Western officials have mainly supported Israel's operations against Hamas, but several Muslim states have advocated a rapid ceasefire, amid worldwide attention and concern about the humanitarian impact on Gaza's civilian population.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Israel will "fight until victory" in Gaza, with no quick plans for a truce.
Israel began its "complete siege" of Gaza immediately after the Oct. 7 strike, shutting off electricity and water supplies and preventing food, fuel, and medication from entering the territory, which has an estimated 2.3 million people. Israel has threatened to keep the blockade in place until Hamas releases all captives.
Meanwhile, Hamas has stated that it will not negotiate the fate of "Israeli army captives" until Israel finishes its "aggression" on Gaza.
“Our stance with regards to Israeli army captives is clear: it’s related to a [possible] exchange of prisoners, and we will not discuss it until Israel ends its aggression on Gaza and Palestinians,” Hamas official Osama Hamdan, speaking from Lebanon, said on Saturday in a televised press conference.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) previously said in a statement on Thursday: “Hamas has said it will not release the hostages until Israel ends its bombardment of Gaza, and only then in exchange for the release of 5,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, including women and children.”
