Middle East
Israel’s army expands ground operations in the Gaza Strip
The Israeli army continues to fight in densely populated areas such as the southern city of Khan Yunis. photo
© Mohammed Talatene/dpa
The war in Gaza continues relentlessly. The Israeli army is expanding the fighting on the ground. According to their own statements, the soldiers repeatedly come across Hamas weapons depots.
The Israeli army has its ground operations in The Gaza Strip said it was expanding at the weekend. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari said the troops were involved in “complex battles in densely populated areas.” They would penetrate further strongholds of the Islamist Hamas.
So far, ground forces have destroyed or confiscated around 30,000 explosive devices, including anti-tank missiles and rockets owned by the Islamist Hamas. The military had previously announced that it had killed a senior Hamas official who was responsible for its own supply of weapons.
Network of tunnels
The soldiers continued to fight in densely populated areas such as the southern city of Khan Yunis and tracked down “terrorist infrastructures”, especially in the underground tunnels, the army spokesman said. The technical forces have therefore been significantly increased. The capacities of the division fighting there would be further expanded in the coming days. Destroying the tunnels would be time-consuming.
Below the Gaza Strip there is a whole network of tunnels stretching for many kilometers in which, according to Israel, a number of Hamas terrorists are hiding and are also holding Israeli hostages there. To withstand Israel’s bombs from the air, some tunnels extend dozens of meters underground. The terrorists also use the tunnels to appear out of nowhere and attack from behind. Many of the tunnels are booby-trapped to kill Israeli soldiers who enter them.
The war was triggered by the worst attack in Israel’s history, carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7 near the border with the Gaza Strip. As a result, more than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side. Israel responded with massive air strikes and began a ground offensive in late October. In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the sealed-off coastal area, Israel has recently come under increasing international pressure.