Israeli PM says Israel is prepping for a ground offensive in Gaza

Sarah Gambles
·2 min read
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Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings following Israeli airstrikes on the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023.
Palestinians inspect the rubble of destroyed buildings following Israeli airstrikes on the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. | Mohammed Dahman, Associated Press
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is continuing to prepare a ground invasion of Gaza after sending hundreds of strikes following the Oct. 7 attack on Israelis by the Hamas militant group.

“We have already killed thousands of terrorists and this is only the beginning,” Netanyahu said in a conference, per Reuters. “Simultaneously, we are preparing for a ground invasion. I will not elaborate on when, how or how many. I will also not elaborate on the various calculations we are making, which the public is mostly unaware of and that is how things should be.”

So far, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has claimed the lives of around 6,500 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis, per Reuters.

Israeli military performs overnight raid on Gaza

Wednesday night, Israel Defense Forces conducted an overnight raid in northern Gaza “as part of preparations for the next stages of combat,” CNBC reported. “During the activity, soldiers located and struck numerous terrorists, terror infrastructure and anti-tank missile launch posts, and operated to prepare the battlefield.”

The raid was not considered part of the ground offensive initiative but does come as Israel has begun intensifying attacks in Gaza, per CNBC.

“We are raining down hellfire on Hamas,” Netanyahu said, per CNN.

The conversation is taking place as civilian life on the Gaza Strip is hitting a breaking point, “with daily airstrikes, life-saving fuel on the verge of running out and health services crippled, pressure is building on the international community to get Israel to allow desperately needed aid into Gaza,” CNN reported.

What President Biden said to Prime Minister Netanyahu

President Joe Biden explained for the first time what the U.S. plan will be following the war, which involves a “two-state solution,” according to Axios. During a call with Netanyahu on Wednesday, he “noted the importance of a permanent pathway to peace for Israelis and Palestinians after this crisis.”