Gallant added: “Regarding other areas, we are preparing to defend Israeli citizens, to safeguard their security. We are doing this in the north, the center and everywhere.”
Unlike previous raids into Gaza, Israeli troops did not immediately withdraw after the incursion. An IDF spokesperson said earlier today that soldiers “remain in the field”. An IDF spokesperson said Israeli forces continue to attack by air, land and sea.
Information coming out of the strip is scarce after Israel knocked out internet and communications services in Gaza.
Since Israel declared war on Hamas following a brutal attack on October 7, the IDF has been amassing forces near the border with Gaza.
Today’s attack could signal the beginning of a large ground offensive which would likely involve fierce street-to-street fighting. Hamas has turned Gaza into a virtual fortress with an extensive tunnel network, ambush sites, and observation posts.
More than 200 hostages are held in Gaza by Hamas. Palestinian health authorities claim that 7,703 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war.
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