A few kilometers from the border with Gaza, Israel has mobilized tanks, artillery and soldiers. Photo: Jan T. Espedal / Aftenposten
The Israeli Defense Forces say they are preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, but that the country’s political leadership has not yet decided.
Aftenposten’s reporting team in Israel says that they have seen extensive military activity and preparations a few kilometers from the Gaza Strip.
Richard Hecht, spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), says that they are “preparing for a ground maneuver if it is decided”.
Around 360,000 reservists have been called up, and Israel has promised a violent response to Hamas’ attacks along several fronts this weekend.
It has long been speculated whether Israel will this time start a ground operation in Gaza, where in previous conflicts with Hamas they have mainly attacked from the air.
Israel pulled its soldiers out of Gaza after 38 years in 2005. However, in 2007 they imposed a blockade of the area after Hamas took power.
The Israeli military says the night’s bombings in Gaza have focused on Hamas’s elite “Nukhba force”.
2023-10-12 12:00:00
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