With ground attack, Israel aims to take Gaza City, wipe out Hamas leaders: Report
The Israel Defence Force (IDF) has announced that they are all set for a ‘coordinated’ attack on Gaza, through ground, air, and sea.
The army has gathered large numbers of its men along the Gaza border and are waiting for the final command to charge.
The IDF top official, Jonathan Conricus, has said troops are prepared for an “intensification of our combat operations”. A military statement also said its forces were deployed across the country, increasing operational readiness for the next stages of the war, “with an emphasis on significant ground operations”.
AIMS OF GROUND ASSAULT
Israel’s ground assault is planned to eliminate the top political and military leadership of Hamas in Gaza, who launched a surprise attack on Israel a week ago, bringing the region into a full-blown war, New York Times reported, quoting top military officials.
The army’s goal will be “the rout of Hamas and the elimination of its leaders after the slaughter they perpetrated. This organisation [Hamas] will not rule Gaza militarily and politically,” Daniel Hagari, the chief spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, told NYT.
Gaza City is the stronghold of Hamas. However, the extent of the ground invasion plan is yet to be known, as they may stop with capturing Gaza City, as reported by The New York Times.
In an interview with ACB news, Conricus said, “The aim of our operation is to dismantle Hamas and its military capabilities to make sure that Hamas will never again have the ability to kill or abduct or threaten Israeli civilians”.
One key target of the ground attack will be to eliminate Yahya Sinwar, the second-ranking Hamas leader after Ismail Haniyeh. According to Israel, Sinwar was responsible for the atrocities against Israelis last Saturday.
Releasing hostages is also an important objective, as experts believe that a ground attack is the only viable method for achieving it.
DATE OF GROUND ATTACK LAUNCH
The Israeli army leadership has not officially announced the time for the ground attack. According to The New York Times, the ground attack will be launched this week.
The army was initially planning to enter Gaza by this weekend. However, it was delayed by a few days, at least in part because of adverse weather conditions. The cloudy atmosphere was not favourable for pilots and drone operators to provide air cover to ground forces, the army sources said.
10,000 SOLDIERS TO ENTER GAZA
Israel’s army has deployed over 30,000 troops along the Gaza border in southern Israel. According to the IDF, they are planning a “significant” ground operation, with at least 10,000 soldiers advancing into Gaza.
In addition to infantry, the Israeli defence team will also include tanks, sappers and commandos, the officers added. They have already moved a significant amount of military equipment close to Gaza.
“The Israeli Defence Forces are making preparations through extensive logistical efforts and the mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers to execute operational attack plans of diverse natures, including preparedness for comprehensive, simultaneous operations encompassing air, sea, and land,” army statement said.
Hamas has also reportedly gathered their fighters in the northern part of the city. Several of their gunmen are thought to have camped inside hundreds of miles of underground tunnels and bunkers beneath Gaza City and the surrounding parts of northern Gaza.
Israel’s ground invasion is poised to change the course of the war, according to experts. This assault will be the first ground move to capture land since its invasion of Gaza in 2008. Also, it is expected to be Israel’s biggest ground operation since it invaded Lebanon in 2006.