In addition to reiterating a warning to the Gaza civilian population to evacuate to the south, the Israeli prime minister stated that every effort would be made to return the captives that Hamas fighters captured on October 7.
Second Stage of War
With more forces entering Gaza, Netanyahu labelled the ground operation the “second stage of the war.”
Israeli military forces were “merely the start” and detainees would be returned at any costs, he said.
Mr. Netanyahu, who predicted that the conflict within Gaza would be “prolonged and arduous,” reaffirmed a threat to the northern Gazainean civilians to evacuate to the southern region.
Yoav Gallant, his minister of defence, further verified that Israeli forces were presently engaged in “combat on the ground, sea, and in the air.”
“Join the Webull revolution in the UK and receive your free shares today.”
Mr. Gallant stated that the Israeli air forces’ bombardment of Gaza on Friday night “induced tremors in the ground.”
He added that Israel would use every measures to free the 229 prisoners abducted by Hamas on October 7.
“This mission is not ancillary in nature. This endeavour holds paramount significance,” declared Mr. Gallant.
Expanding its combat operations, Israel
It comes after Israel’s top military official said “entering its territory with force” was “the only way” to “destroy” Hamas.
Herzi Halevi, the chief of general staff of Israel, added that the nation’s “most elite soldiers” were “currently carrying out operations in Gaza.”
In the past, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) personnel had executed nocturnal incursions in Gaza, emerging from that region prior to dawn.
On Saturday morning, however, Israeli troops who had entered the Gaza Strip through the frontier on Friday night remained in the region.
Israeli authorities previously stated their intention to increase ground operations to achieve conflict goals.
Hamas stated Friday that its troops fought Israeli forces in al Bureij and Beit Hanoun, two northeastern Gaza communities.
“The al Qassam brigades and all the Palestinian resistance forces are completely ready to confront [Israel’s] aggression with full force and frustrate its incursions,” Hamas stated in a press release.
Friday night’s severe shelling in northern Gaza saw Israeli fighter jets hit 150 underground targets, the IDF stated on Saturday.
As the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million inhabitants were largely cut off from the outside world, the Palestinian telecommunications provider Paltel reported that the bombardment caused “complete disruption” of internet, cellular, and landline services.
Gazai authorities administered by Hamas report more than 7,300 Palestinians killed in airstrikes to date.
Requests for a cessation of hostilities
Jordan’s UN General Assembly proposal for Arab states called for a humanitarian armistice between Israel and Hamas. Jordan, Israel’s neighbour, introduced the resolution.
The 193-member international organisation passed the resolution on Friday, with Israel, the US, and the UK abstaining.
Israel and Hamas are not, nevertheless, compelled to take any action.
The UAE’s foreign ministry and WAM reported that the country denounced Israeli ground operations in Gaza on Saturday.
WAM reported that the UAE, which restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020, “deeply concerned about the Israeli military escalation and the humanitarian crisis’s worsening, which threatens additional civilian casualties.”
Additionally, a diplomatic dispute between Israel and Turkey intensified on Saturday.
Due to “increasingly harsh statements” emanating from the Turkish government, Israel recalled its diplomats overseas.
Erdogan warned a huge gathering in Istanbul that Israel would be labelled a “war criminal” for its Gaza Strip attacks.
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters in London, Manchester, and Glasgow demanded a stop to Israeli bombardment on Gaza.
According to Home Office sources, between fifty thousand and sixty thousand individuals attended the demonstration in the capital.
HMRC delays made me ponder transferring my small firm to Dubai.
