Israel Presses Intense Ground Operations Against Hamas In Gaza As PM Netanyahu Announces Second Stage Of War

After warning the civilians in northern Gaza and Gaza City to move south, the Israeli Defence Forces launched an intense overnight military operation in Gaza targeting Hamas militants and their infrastructure. While the IDF mounted its ground campaign, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the second stage of the war against Hamas has begun. The IDF has confirmed that its combined combat teams of armoured, engineering and infantry forces are operating on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip. 

Amid the ground offensive, the residents in Gaza are facing a near-total communications and Internet blackout. While initial ground operations appeared confined to a certain region at the moment, PM Netanyahu vowed to spare no effort in freeing over 200 hostages, including Americans and other foreigners, currently in Hamas captivity. Netanyahu said that the soldiers are part of a legacy of Jewish warriors that he stressed goes back 3000 years. He said that they have one goal, “To defeat the murderous enemy, and to ensure our existence in our land.”

“Hamas terrorists operate inside and under civilian buildings, precisely because they know the IDF distinguishes between terrorists and civilians.”—RAdm. Daniel Hagari pic.twitter.com/DWaa4R27No
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 29, 2023

PM Netanyahu also met families of those abducted and vowed to bring the hostages back, Meanwhile, Hamas has offered an ‘all for all’ deal seeking the release of all Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages.

Combined combat forces of armor, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in northern Gaza since early Friday evening.

As part of the operation IDF soldiers:

Identified terrorist cells attempting to launch anti-tank missiles and mortar shells and struck… pic.twitter.com/QVv44VrXD0
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 28, 2023

On Friday night, Israel deployed troops and tanks into Gaza, with a focus on targeting infrastructure, particularly the extensive tunnel network constructed by Hamas. The Israeli military did not provide specific details about the scale of this deployment. However, the Israeli Air Force said that they hit over 150 targets in the overnight raid destroying Hamas sites and killing several militants.

On the other hand, Hamas said that its fighters battled Israeli troops in northeastern and central Gaza. It added that Al-Qassam Brigades and all Palestinian resistance forces are fully prepared to confront the IDF.

Yesterday, Israeli Defence Forces claimed that the Hamas operates from under the Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza city. The IDF also released interrogation footage of Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7 attack on Israel, where they confirmed the terror group has a hideout under Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.