Israel expanded its ground operation in Gaza on Saturday, sending tanks and infantry backed by massive air and sea strikes. Israel’s defense minister said “the ground in Gaza was shaking” and the war against the territory’s Hamas rulers had entered a new phase.
The bombardment, described by Gazans as the most intense of the war, also disabled most of Gaza’s communications. This has largely cut off the 2.3 million people of the besieged enclave from the world while allowing the Israeli military to control the narrative in a new phase of fighting.
The military released grainy images on Saturday showing columns of tanks moving slowly across open Gaza, many apparently close to the border, and warplanes bombing dozens of Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers.
The underground sites are a key target in Israel’s campaign to crush the territory’s ruling group following an incursion into Israel three weeks ago.
“We have moved to the next phase of the war,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement broadcast on Saturday, according to the AP agency.
“Last night the ground in Gaza shook. We attacked above ground and below ground….The instructions to the forces are clear. The campaign will continue until further notice,” he said.
The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza on Saturday rose to just over 7,700 since October 7, with 377 deaths reported since Friday night, the territory’s health ministry said. Most of those killed were women and minors, the ministry said.
Source: Fena
