Israeli troops have launched a brief raid into the Gaza Strip to attack Hamas hideouts. The Israeli army radio describes a ‘relatively large’ ground incursion backed by infantry, tanks, and other vehicles. The military has confirmed the raid, saying the operation is a preparation for the next stage of combat. IDF additionally, publicized that after the raid Israeli soldiers had left the Gaza Strip and returned to Israel.
The Israeli army stated that the operation was “preparation for the next stages of combat” and that “the soldiers have since exited the area and returned to Israeli territory”. A local radio, on the other hand, reported that the raid was a “relatively large” ground incursion, indicating that it was the biggest swoop since Israel started deploying its armed forces ahead of the looming full-scale invasion.
Since the eruption of the deadly conflict on October 7, the Israel Defence Forces have made several incursions in order to investigate Hamas locations and gather information about Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Israeli jets continued to target terrorist hideouts in Gaza in preparation for the long-threatened ground incursion.
Since October 7, Israel has been pounding Gaza, after the Hamas militants launched a sortie killing 1,400 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 222 others. Hamas-run Palestinian health ministry claims that, as a result of Israeli bombardment more than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed. The death toll is expected to rise in case of a ground incursion.
However, there are doubts concerning the facts and figures aired by the Hamas-run Palestinian media and health ministry. US President Joe Biden remarking about the Palestinian credibility has said, “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s a price of waging war,” he said. “But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using.”
The Israeli Premier, Benjamin Netanyahu said, Israel was “raining down hellfire” and that the ground offensive was being prepared. “I cannot say when, how or how many, nor all the elements that we are taking into account, of which most are not known to the public,” he added.
