Israel delays its ground campaign in Gaza – NYT

The publication reports that the offensive was originally slated for the weekend but was postponed owing to bad weather.

According to the New York Times, Israel has decided to delay the commencement of its ground operation against Hamas in Gaza owing to poor weather. According to the newspaper, the infiltration will probably cost the Israeli military a lot of money because of its size and the terrorists’ fortifications.

The media site said in a story on Saturday that the “invasion was initially planned for the weekend but was delayed by a few days, at least in part due to weather conditions,” quoting unnamed Israeli officers. According to the NYT, these are currently preventing Israeli pilots and drone operators from providing air cover for ground forces.

Tens of thousands of military men, including commando groups, tanks, aeroplanes, helicopter gunships, drones, and artillery fired from land and sea would be involved in the impending operation, according to three unnamed Israeli officers who were quoted in the article. It is believed that the leadership of Hamas, which has ruled the enclave since 2007, is to be completely destroyed.

The NYT report continues, “It is still unclear whether the IDF is planning to take control of only part of the densely populated enclave or all of it. The planned ground operation is expected to be the largest of its kind in more than a decade.” If they are successful in ousting Hamas from power there, it is also unclear whether Israelis will rule Gaza or appoint a new Palestinian government, the report said.

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Regarding the impending incursion itself, the unidentified Israeli officers informed the NYT that because they will need to clear a substantial network of Hamas subterranean tunnels, it will probably take months and result in a significant number of casualties on their side.

On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the ongoing Israeli airstrikes against Hamas and claimed that his nation has used “unprecedented force.” But he emphasised, “this is just the beginning,” and “our enemies have only started paying the price.”

The most recent estimates indicate that the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel resulted in at least 1,300 fatalities and close to 3,500 injuries. The militants kidnapped dozens of people, including Israelis and people of various nationalities.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the overwhelming Israeli airstrikes that followed have killed at least 1,900 Palestinians in Gaza, including 614 children and 370 women.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, cautioned on Saturday that his nation would retaliate if Israel went ahead with a ground assault in Gaza.