Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed “mighty vengeance” after the brutal October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. Israel declared a war and after days of air bombardment, Israel last night shifted to another phase of the battle and sent troops and tanks, accompanied by its heaviest air fire so far, inside the Gaza Strip.
There is a total blackout in Gaza after phone and internet communications were cut off completely, limiting the flow of information from the Gaza Strip. Israel calls it a war strategy to disable enemy communications but didn’t say if it was done on purpose.
Palestinians in South of Gaza, who could communicate to outer world using Israeli sim cards called the bombing heaviest since the war began following the October 7 Hamas attack.
Israeli military called the intensified bombardment and troops incursions in Gaza “expansion of ground operations”. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said it was shifting of phases of the war and will continue.
As Israeli troops and tanks continue to remain in Gaza and attack Hamas targets, here are the latest updates on Israel-Hamas war in Gaza:
“Shifting phases in war, operation to continue”
Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said today that the Israel Defence Forces have “shifted phases in the war” and their operation will continue until further notice.
“Tonight the earth in Gaza shook,” he said on Israeli television channel Kan 11.
“We attacked above the ground and under it. We attacked terrorist operatives from all levels everywhere. The directives to the forces are clear: the operation will continue until further notice,” Gallant said.
Israeli troops, tanks inside Gaza
IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari earlier today said the military is “advancing through the stages of the war” in Gaza and fighting is going on.
“Infantry, armored, engineering and artillery forces participating in the activity, accompanied by heavy (air) fire,” Hagari said, adding their goals are to destroy Hamas and secure the hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas says armed clashes taking place in Gaza
Meanwhile, Hamas’ military wing al-Qassam Brigades, that carried out the barbaric October 7 attack on Israel, has said that armed clashes are taking place in southern Gaza near the eastern border of Khan Younis.
They have also claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Israeli troops and tanks, foiling their bid to penetrate northwest of Beit Lahia.
Israel has denied any casuality in the ongoing operation so far.
UN, WHO lose contact with staff in Gaza
The United Nations health agency has said that they are unable to contact its staff in the Gaza Strip after phone and internet services were cutt off following Israeli military’s “never seen before” air bombardment last night.
The WHO has also expressed grave concerns over the communications blackout and said it was “impossible for ambulances to reach the injured.”
The UN health agency and other aid groups say they remain unable to communicate with their teams in the Gaza Strip after phone and internet services collapsed during intense Israeli bombardment.
Tedros Adhanom, head of the World Health Organization, said, “We are still out of touch with our staff and health facilities. I’m worried about their safety.”
Musk offers Starlink services for aid organisation in Gaza
Tesla CEO and world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has offered his satellite-based communications system Starlink to aid organisations working in Gaza.
Making the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, Musk said we “will support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza.”
Hamas trying to locate Russian hostages
In other news, Hamas has said that it is trying to locate the 8 Russian-Israeli dual citizens who it held hostage after the October 7 attack. Hamas has reached an agreement with Moscow to release the 8 hostages.
“From the Russian side, via the foreign ministry, we received a list of citizens that have dual citizenship,” a Hamas representative was quoted as saying by an international news agency.
“We are looking for those people… It is hard but we are looking. And when we find them, we will let them go,” he said.