Israeli ground forces enter Gaza Strip
Israeli ground forces entered the Gaza Strip on Friday evening, 27 October, after intense bombardment with artillery and rockets fired from military aircraft.
Source: New York Times with reference to its sources in Israeli forces
Details: The New York Times said the attacks came three weeks after cross-border raids by Hamas that killed 1,400 people in Israel and sparked the war.
At the same time, Jawwal and Paltel, two leading Palestinian mobile networks, said mobile and internet services were disrupted after the strikes.
Israeli Major General Nir Dinar said Israeli forces had crossed the border and were fighting in the Gaza Strip, but he refused to confirm whether it was the start of a full-scale ground invasion, which Israel has been saying for weeks.
The New York Times added that Israeli troops, including tanks, have been conducting small sallies into Gaza without staying there for long over the past two days.
"Our troops and tanks are inside the Gaza Strip — they’re shooting and they’re operating," Dinar said, adding, "But our troops and tanks were inside Gaza yesterday as well".
Previously: Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesman of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), said Israeli ground forces were expanding their ground operations on the evening of 27 October and would intensify air strikes in the Gaza Strip.
Background:
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalated on 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel with missiles.
- On 9 October, Israel announced that it had regained control of all areas on the border near the Gaza Strip. Israel was currently planning a ground offensive against the Gaza Strip that could last three months.
- The New York Times reported that Israel had to postpone the ground operation in the Gaza Strip, which was planned for the weekend, due to weather conditions.
- On 14 October, Israel Defence Forces announced that it was finalizing preparations for a "large-scale ground operation".
- On 19 October, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told the IDF troops gathered near the Gaza Strip that they would "soon see" the enclave "from the inside".
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