Israel plans to launch a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip in the coming days, with the aim of taking control of Gaza Citythe largest Palestinian enclave and seat of the Hamas government, senior Israeli military commanders told the New York Times.
The military operation, which has been officially announced to us, would involve the deployment of tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers, supported by 300 tanks, 100 armored bulldozers and other armored vehicles, whose main mission is to take control of Gaza and destroy the leadership of the terrorist group that has controlled that territory since 2007.
The aforementioned media, which highlights three anonymous military sources, also indicates that Israel intends to assassinate Yahya Sinwar, the top leader of Hamas in Gaza, although it does not specify how it would do so. It is not known what plans Israel has for Gaza City once it occupies it, nor how this would affect the civilian population, which exceeds half a million inhabitants.
The ground invasion would come after Israel ordered the evacuation of up to 1.1 million Palestinians from northern Gaza due to the risk of air and artillery strikes.
The offensive was scheduled to begin this weekend, but has been delayed due to adverse weather conditions, that hinder the visibility of pilots and drones that provide air cover to troops on the ground, according to military sources consulted by the Times.
Israel expects to encounter stiff resistance from Hamas fighters, estimated to number around 40,000, who have barricaded themselves in a complex system of underground tunnels and bunkers that stretches for hundreds of kilometers beneath Gaza City and its surrounding areas. surroundings.
Israeli military officials believe the militants will try to blow up some of those tunnels. to surprise invading forces, as well as place bombs on roads and buildings.
For its part, a Hamas spokesperson confirmed to the Times that the group is prepared to confront the Israeli invasion and that it plans to ambush soldiers who advance from behind by suddenly emerging from their underground hiding places.
So far, Israel has confirmed in a latest report that more than 1,400 people in its territory have died since the start of the war. Israeli authorities added that there are at least 120 kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip as hostages.
With information from New York Post
Keep reading:
– Teen who attacked Israeli student at Columbia University charged with hate crimes
– They left the US to go fight with “knives and pepper spray” in Israel against Hamas militiamen
– Syria denounced a new Israeli attack against the Aleppo airport: it is the second in 48 hours