AhlulBayt News Agency: The Israeli army said on Friday, ground forces, accompanied by fighter jets and UAVs, conducted an additional targeted raid in Gaza over the past day.
In a statement, the army said it struck dozens of Hamas targets during the raid in the Shujaiya area, according to Al-Jazeera.
Black-and-white footage released by the Israeli army showed a column of armoured vehicles as a thick cloud of dust billowed into the sky after the strikes.
The army conducted a similar ground operation using tanks and infantry the previous night in the Northern part of the Palestinian territory.
IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Thursday the Israel Defense Forces will continue ground raids into Gaza in the coming days to prepare for the next stages in Israel’s war against Hamas.
The purpose of Israel's ground operations is to kill Hamas fighters, lay the foundations for an all-out invasion and neutralize explosive devices and reconnaissance posts, according to Hagari.
When asked about US involvement in the Israeli forces' decision-making related to ground operations, Hagari said, "We’re constantly in touch with the US. The IDF chief of the General Staff speaks almost on a daily basis with the commander of the US Centcom."
"It is true that US advisers arrived. … They have a lot of experience. We’re listening, it’s good to learn and to listen. But our war is right in our borders, not thousands of miles away," Hagari said, adding, "We also know Gaza very well. Eventually, this is Israel’s decision. And Israel understands that it needs to fulfill the aims of the war."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said during a news briefing on Thursday that Israel is preparing for the "next stages" in its war against Hamas, adding "there will be more".
“The maneuvering will begin when the conditions are right. These conditions are complex because so is the campaign. The troops are ready," Gallant said in the briefing in Tel Aviv.
Gallant's comments echoed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address on Wednesday, during which he said Israel is "raining down hellfire on Hamas" and "preparing for a ground incursion".
Gallant reiterated the effectiveness of "lethal" Israeli strikes on Gaza and said that within 24 hours of the deadly Hamas attacks, Israeli forces shifted to the offensive with airstrikes.
"Whatever happens in Israel’s next 75 years, will highly depend on the achievement that we’ll gain in that fight. That’s why I tell you — we have no other choice, and we’ll win because there’s no other option," he said.
Gallant said Israeli forces and security authorities will "do everything needed" to bring back hostages taken by Hamas.
Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian resistance movement Hamas initiated a multi-pronged surprise military operation via land, sea and air. The group announced it was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.
Tel Aviv has also blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the besieged territory into a humanitarian crisis.
More than 7,000 Palestinians, including 3,000 children, have been killed and more than 18,500 wounded by Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7.
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27 October 2023 - 15:10
News ID: 1405592
The Israeli army said on Friday, ground forces, accompanied by fighter jets and UAVs, conducted an additional targeted raid in Gaza over the past day.