Hamas has vowed to respond with full force to Israeli attacks on the Palestinian enclave. Israel’s military has intensified its air and ground assaults, indicating that a long-awaited ground offensive has commenced. On Saturday Morning, Israel confirmed that its troops, deployed on Friday night, were still present. Previously, Israel had only made brief incursions into Gaza during three weeks of bombing to eliminate Hamas militants responsible for the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis on October 7.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated on Saturday morning that the Israeli forces were still in the field and continuing the war against Hamas. By Saturday morning, Gaza was experiencing a near-total blackout, with internet and phone services disrupted for over 12 hours. Telecoms companies and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society attributed the blackout to Israeli bombardments.
The blackout has made it impossible for ambulances to reach the injured in Gaza, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO). He also noted that the WHO was unable to communicate with its staff and health facilities. The Palestinian militant group governing Gaza reported clashes between its fighters and Israeli troops near the border.
On Friday evening, Hagari announced that Israeli ground forces were expanding their operations, in addition to the extensive air strikes targeting Hamas tunnels and infrastructure. James Mackenzie and Nidal al-Mughrabi reported on the situation, with additional contributions from Michelle Nichols and Rami Ayyub. The article was written by David Brunnstrom and edited by Grant McCool, Raju Gopalakrishnan, William Mallard, and Philippa Fletcher. The Thomson RushHourDaily Trust Principles apply.
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