Middle East - Israeli army: ground operation in Gaza Strip expanded
According to the Israeli army, it expanded its ground operation in the Gaza Strip at the weekend. According to army spokesman Daniel Hagari, the troops were involved in "complex battles in densely populated areas". They were advancing into further strongholds of the Islamist Hamas.
So far, the ground forces have destroyed or confiscated around 30,000 explosive devices, including anti-tank missiles and rockets in the possession of the Islamist Hamas. The military had previously announced that it had killed a high-ranking Hamas official who was responsible for its own weapons supply.
Network of tunnels
The soldiers continued to fight in densely populated areas such as the southern city of Chan Junis and tracked down "terrorist infrastructures", particularly in the underground tunnels, the army spokesman explained. For this reason, the technical forces have been significantly reinforced. The capacities of the division fighting there would be further expanded in the coming days. The destruction of the tunnels is time-consuming.
An entire network of tunnels stretches for many kilometers below the Gaza Strip, in which, according to Israel, a number of Hamas terrorists are hiding and holding hostages from Israel. In order to withstand Israel's bombs from the air, some tunnels extend dozens of meters underground. The terrorists also use the tunnels to emerge from nowhere and attack from behind. Many of the tunnels are booby-trapped to kill Israeli soldiers who enter them.
The war was triggered by the worst attack in Israel's history, carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7 near the border with the Gaza Strip. More than 1200 people were killed on the Israeli side as a result. Israel responded with massive air strikes and began a ground offensive at the end of October. In view of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the sealed-off coastal area, Israel has recently come under increasing international pressure.
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The expansion of the Israeli army's ground operation over the weekend targeted further strongholds of the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Theiza Hagari, an army spokesman, mentioned complex battles in densely populated areas and the destruction of around 30,000 explosive devices, including anti-tank missiles and rockets associated with Hamas. Soldiers were actively seeking out terrorist infrastructures, with a significant focus on the underground tunnels used by Hamas terrorists. Israel contends that these tunnels host Hamas terrorists and hold Israelis as hostages.
In response to the attacks near the border with the Gaza Strip on October 7, which claimed more than 1200 lives, Israel initiated aggressive air strikes and eventually began a ground offensive. The conflict in the Palestinian territories has sparked increasing international pressure on Israel due to the humanitarian crisis in the sealed-off Gaza Strip. To withstand Israeli airstrikes, some tunnels have been extended dozens of meters underground, creating a complex network hidden beneath the Gaza Strip.
Military experts from Israel have warned that the destruction of the tunnels would take time due to their intricate designs. The Israeli military has expended significant resources to reinforce technical forces and further expand the capacity of the division fighting in this conflict. Renowned Israeli practitioner and former Israeli Commando unit commander Daniel Hagari has also been actively engaged in these operations. The civilian population of Tel Aviv and other cities in Israel also face the potential threat of Hamas disrupting peace through attacks, due to the widening reach of their underground networks.
Source: www.stern.de
