This content is about a fact that is still being investigated by the editorial team. We will have more information soon.
The Israel Defense Forces announced this Saturday afternoon (14) that it is preparing to carry out comprehensive offensives by land, air and sea to combat Hamas terrorists and try to free Israeli hostages. In a statement, Israel said the emphasis will be on “significant ground operations.”
The announcement comes amid expectations of an imminent ground invasion of the Gaza Strip involving hundreds of thousands of Israeli fighters. But it was not mentioned when the offensive should begin.
Israeli authorities released a statement stating that “essential combat equipment has already been sent” to locations relevant to the ground invasion. “Israel Defense Forces battalions and soldiers have been strategically positioned across the country and are increasing their operational readiness for the next stages of the war, with an emphasis on significant ground operations,” the statement said.
The announcement comes a day after Israel ordered the Palestinian civilian population to withdraw from the northern and central regions of the Gaza Strip and head south. In theory, the total displacement would involve more than a million people – which is not considered feasible by the UN. Even so, thousands of people have been trying to leave the north of the territory since Friday.
The statement does not speak specifically about the Gaza Strip, saying only that the military action will be comprehensive and will include air and sea actions. It is not yet clear whether Israel is preparing a limited operation lasting just a few weeks or a prolonged occupation.
According to risk analyst and Army reserve major Nelson Ricardo Fernandes, it is not possible to rule out the hypothesis that, in addition to dismantling Hamas, Israel annexes part of the Gaza Strip to its territory.
The Gaza Strip is a 365 square kilometer territory in southwestern Israel inhabited by around 2.3 million Palestinians. The area has been politically controlled by the terrorist group Hamas since 2006.
#Israel #announces #comprehensive #offensive #Hamas #emphasis #ground #operations