Israel says it will step up attacks on Gaza Strip in ‘next stages’ of war

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it will increase its attacks on the Gaza Strip to create optimal conditions for a possible ground invasion, CBS News reported.

The announcement came two weeks after Hamas launched a multi-pronged attack on Israel on October 7, leading to a massive escalation in hostilities in the region. After the attack by Hamas, Israel declared a siege on Gaza and launched a series of airstrikes. It also stopped water, fuel and power supplies to the region’s 2.3 million residents.

At least 4,385 persons have been killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza in the past two weeks, Palestinian authorities said. Israel said on October 20 that 1,400 persons died and 4,500 were injured in attacks on the country from Gaza.

Israel military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Saturday: “We will deepen our attacks to minimise the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks, from today.”

On Saturday night, Israeli forces continued to bombard Gaza, with several popular cafes and a shopping centre among the places that suffered air attacks, according to Al-Jazeera.

The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Authority also carried out an air strike on the Al-Ansar mosque in the city of Jenin in the West...

Read more