Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News correspondent in Israel, reports Israeli troops have entered Gaza City.
BREAKING: Israel’s top general says his soldiers have entered Gaza City
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) November 2, 2023
Israel planned on a ground invasion after the October 7 attacks, but details have been 'deliberately ambiguous.'
Israel’s military is expanding its operations in the Gaza Strip, but has avoided calling it a “ground invasion” despite sending tanks into the territory. That’s by design, security analysts say.
Saturday marked the start of the “second stage” of Israel’s war against Hamas, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that the fight will be “long and difficult,” amid rising risks of a wider Middle East conflict.
A key reason for the ambiguity in what appear to be smaller land operations, rather than a full-scale land assault, is to throw off the enemy, analysts say.
“They seem to want to keep Hamas guessing if this is really it or just a short, sharp strike op,” a former British army intelligence officer, who spoke anonymously due to professional restrictions, told CNBC.
Israel has been hitting Hamas hard since the attacks that killed over 1,500 Israelis and saw hundreds more taken hostage.
Godspeed. https://t.co/iwbKxTPyVD
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) November 2, 2023
Amen.
Other reports indicate they have surrounded Gaza City:
Mainly, they have encircled it. That's how I understood the central point of his announcement.
— The World of Mr. X (@TheWorldOfMrX) November 2, 2023
And another:
Live update: IDF chief of staff: We are surrounding Gaza City https://t.co/8WMRkF30Ml . Click to read ⬇️
— TOI ALERTS (@TOIAlerts) November 2, 2023
Tomlinson reports the IDF have almost split Gaza in two:
Israeli forces close to cutting Gaza in two. (Video: IDF Map: ISW) pic.twitter.com/S9n67ZYvrn
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) November 2, 2023
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says troops are operating inside Gaza City, and are surrounding it from several directions.
“We have advanced another significant stage in the war. The forces are in the heart of northern Gaza, operating in Gaza City, surrounding it, and deepening [the ground offensive], and achievements,” Halevi says in a statement from an Air Force base.
“The forces are fighting in a dense and complex urban area, that requires professional combat, and courage,” he says.
He says troops are engaged in close-quarters combat. “Ground forces are accompanied by accurate intelligence, with fire from the air and sea. This partnership makes combat much more effective,” Halevi continues.
“Our warriors, fighting in close quarters against a cruel enemy, have a huge advantage: Camaraderie and battle spirit flow through their veins,” he says. “The spirit of Israeli society and the justice of our cause accompany us at all times.”
Halevi says this war has “a painful and difficult price,” with 18 soldiers being killed in the ground operation so far. “We lost the best of our sons in the war, we embrace their families… we will continue to win.”
They still have to deal with the extensive network of tunnels Hamas constructed:
Gaza City is effectively cut off from the rest of the strip on the surface. Tunnel infrastructure cleaning is still underway, however.
— Baltazar (@Baltaza54263030) November 2, 2023
This is a breaking story, and we will bring updates as they develop.
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