Israeli military gears up to attack Hamas in Gaza by land, air and sea
The Israeli military is set to attack by land, air and sea the Hamas militants in Gaza, it said in a statement ahead of an expected ground offensive.
In a statement, the IDF said it is readying to “expand the offensive” by implementing a “wide range of offensive operational plans” which it says include a “joint and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land,” reported the Times of Israel.
IDF, however, did not specify when it would launch the operation
The IDF is in the process of completing the mobilisations of hundreds of thousands of reservists, while the logistics department is ensuring that troops are equipped for the upcoming ground offensive.
“In recent days, the tools required for combat have been transferred to the assembly areas, and at this stage the various units of the Technological and Logistics Directorate are working to complete the qualification of the tools and equipping them with advanced combat means, as needed,” the IDF said.
“IDF battalions and soldiers are deployed all over the country and are prepared to increase readiness for the next stages of the war, with an emphasis on a significant ground operation,” the military added.
The military is anticipated to initiate a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip. However, the scale and timing of this action may be influenced by operational factors, such as the evacuation of Palestinian civilians from the northern Gaza area and escalating tensions along Israel’s northern border.
Meanwhile, 1,300 people have died in Israel in the Hamas attack on October 7. The death toll in Gaza surpassed 2,300 in Israel's retaliatory strikes.
As it prepares to launch the counter-offensive, Israel warned 1.1m Palestinians living in north Gaza to evacuate to the safer southern part of Gaza, and thousands of people have been escaping by vehicle or on foot.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel affirms that the extended emergency government is tirelessly working together with a unified approach.
Addressing a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, he pledged that Israel's solidarity sends a strong message to the nation, adversaries, and the global community.
A moment of silence was observed for the victims of the recent Hamas attack.
At the start of the Cabinet meeting today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the ministers to rise for a moment of silence in memory of our brothers and sisters who were murdered in cold blood and for our heroic soldiers who fell in battle. pic.twitter.com/D7tHcoAgpC
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 15, 2023
Netanyahu assured the cabinet that the military is aware that the entire nation stands with them and recognizes the gravity of the situation at hand.