- Israel declared that it had launched an overnight raid into the Gaza Strip.
- There was “preparation for the next stages of combat” in this operation.
- 222 more people were abducted and 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the surprise attack.
Before returning home, Israel declared that it had launched an overnight raid into the Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas control, hitting “numerous” targets.
“Numerous terrorist cells, infrastructure, and anti-tank missile launch posts” were hit by the “targeted raid,” according to the Israeli Defense Forces. The soldiers have since left the area and returned to Israeli territory, stating that the operation was “preparation for the next stages of combat”.
Israeli tanks raided Gaza
A column of armored cars and bulldozers appeared to be winding toward and breaching what looked to be a border fence in black-and-white video footage that the military released.
It appeared in another video that there had been an airstrike and that buildings had later been hit by munitions, which sent smoke and debris skyward. Moments before, in a nationally televised speech, Netanyahu had told Israelis, who were still in shock and rage following Hamas’s horrific October 7 attacks, that “we are in the midst of a campaign for our existence.”
222 more people were abducted and 1,400 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the surprise attack, which saw hordes of Hamas gunmen pour into Israel from Gaza, according to official tallies.
With tens of thousands of Israeli troops gathered close to Gaza, the death toll from Israel’s heavy bombing in retaliation is expected to rise significantly. The health ministry run by Hamas in Gaza claims that the bombing has killed over 6,500 people.
Amid increasing international pressure to reduce the intensity of the bombing campaign, Netanyahu vowed to move forward with his plans for a ground war. He promised to “bring our captives home” and “eliminate Hamas,” but he made it clear that “I will not detail when, how, or how many” forces would be involved.
According to a military spokesperson, AFP, this was not the first ground raid into Gaza. Tensions in an already uneasy area were sure to rise as a result. Prominent international figures, including US President Joe Biden, are intensifying their vocal demands that Israel adhere to the “laws of war” and “protect innocent civilians” while pursuing Hamas objectives.
Wednesday, the health ministry in Gaza, which is under Hamas control, announced that over 6,500 people had died, many of them children. The death toll had increased by roughly 700 in just one day.
According to the UN, less than 70 relief trucks have reached the impoverished territory since the start of the war, and 12 of the territory’s 35 hospitals have closed because of damage or a lack of fuel.
Fears that if more of Israel’s enemies join the war, it will spark a regional conflagration. In addition to striking targets in Syria and Lebanon, Israel has carried out thousands of strikes in Gaza since October 7.
