Israel conducts its initial ground assaults against Gaza

During a “localised” incursion, the IDF apparently succeeded in recovering a number of Israelis’ dead bodies.

In an effort to identify some of the hostages held by Hamas militants, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) dispatched tanks and foot soldiers into Gaza on Friday to execute what it dubbed “localised raids” ahead of a potential invasion of the Palestinian enclave.

According to the IDF account on X (previously Twitter), IDF forces conducted several operations into Gaza to “clear the area of terrorists and weapons” while making “an effort… to locate missing people.”

“Infantry and armoured forces searched and gathered in the area for findings that may help in the effort to locate the missing and thwarted terrorist infrastructure and terrorist cells found in the area,” the Israeli military said.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the IDF, added that the operations were also intended to target “anti-tank guided missile squads that intended to infiltrate into Israeli territory.”

According to the Jerusalem Post, the decision was made to send in a larger force under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Shimon Putrabani after the front troops reported “discoveries” of missing Israelis close to the border. According to the newspaper, when the brigade had surrounded the area, remains were removed and sent to Israeli land.

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IDF spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Hecht stated on Thursday that the IDF soldiers were “getting ready for a ground manoeuvre,” but that the government had not yet issued the operation’s final approval.

According to Israeli authorities, there have been over 1,300 fatalities and close to 3,500 injuries in Israel as of Friday night. The IDF reported that it had gotten in touch with 120 relatives of those missing after dozens of Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage.

According to the most recent data from the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 1,900 Palestinians, including 614 children and 370 women, have been murdered in Gaza over the previous week.

The counteroffensive in Gaza, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is “just the beginning” of his country’s campaign to “eradicate” Hamas. Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken both stated at a joint press conference that “there will be many difficult days ahead,” but that Israeli soldiers will “crush” the “barbarians” of Hamas.

“I want to stress that this is only the beginning. “Our adversaries have only just begun paying the price,” Netanyahu stated, adding, “I will not now outline what is yet to come, but I would like to tell you that this is just the beginning.