31-10-2023 (GAZA) Israel launched an offensive on Tuesday targeting Hamas gunmen inside their extensive tunnel network beneath Gaza. The tunnels have become a primary objective for Israel as it expands its ground operations in the region. The Israeli government aims to dismantle Hamas following the militant group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7.
According to Israeli officials, approximately 1,400 people have been killed, and over 200 have been taken hostage as a result of the conflict. In retaliation, Israel has been bombarding the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of more than 8,500 people, as reported by the enclave’s Health Ministry. The United Nations estimates that over 1.4 million of Gaza’s civilian population, which totals approximately 2.3 million, have been displaced from their homes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed calls for a cessation of hostilities, rejecting pleas to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated in a press release, “Over the last day, combined IDF combat forces struck approximately 300 targets, including anti-tank missile and rocket launch posts below shafts, as well as military compounds inside underground tunnels belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization.” The IDF reported that the militants responded with anti-tank missiles and machine gun fire.
Witnesses reported that Israeli armed forces conducted air, sea, and ground attacks on Gaza overnight, targeting northwestern areas where Israeli troops were operating. The United States and Arab countries have urged Israel to delay any ground operation that could lead to a higher number of civilian casualties and potentially ignite a broader conflict.
❖ ????????????????????????????????: Israel intensifies battle against Hamas within Gaza’s tunnel network.
The Islamist group’s vast tunnel infrastructure is Israel’s prime target, as it advances its ground operations.
“Over the last day, combined IDF combat forces struck approximately 300… pic.twitter.com/zL8mkzf0Tr
— Hank (@GCapital_LLC) October 31, 2023
According to Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, militants clashed with Israeli forces invading southern Gaza early on Tuesday. They targeted vehicles with locally produced anti-tank missiles and fired at Israeli tanks and bulldozers in the northwestern region. In Beit Hanoun, in the northeast, an Israeli unit was ambushed as it entered a building. However, Reuters was unable to independently verify these reports, and Israel’s military had no immediate comment.
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New footage has been released by the Israel Defense Forces(IDF) showing their operations inside the Gaza Strip.Israel has begun to carry out one of its main objectives of attacking Hamas terrorists inside the militant’s vast tunnel network beneath… pic.twitter.com/cvozfQw40S
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) October 31, 2023
The mounting death toll and dire humanitarian situation in Gaza have prompted calls for a pause in the fighting to allow more aid to reach the enclave. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that Israel would not agree to a ceasefire and intended to continue its efforts to eliminate Hamas. The World Health Organization warned of an impending “public health catastrophe” in Gaza, with hospitals running out of fuel and essential supplies.
As the conflict intensifies, several countries, including France, Britain, and the Netherlands, are making plans to send aid to Gaza by ship. The situation has also sparked demonstrations worldwide in support of Palestinians, but it has also led to a rise in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic harassment. The US National Muslim Democratic Council announced its intention to mobilize millions of Muslim voters to withhold votes from President Joe Biden’s potential 2024 re-election unless he takes immediate steps to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
