Israel has begun its planned invasion of Gaza City as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for a swift end to Hamas. Photo / Getty Images
Israel entered the first stages of its invasion of Gaza City on Wednesday, the Israeli military spokesman said.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers have taken control of the outskirts of the city, one of Hamas’ last strongholds, spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said.
Following a clash with Hamas south of Khan Younis in Gaza on Wednesday, he said: “We will deepen the blows to Hamas in Gaza City, a terror stronghold… We will deepen the blows to the terror infrastructure above and below ground, and disconnect the reliance of the population on Hamas.”
He said the IDF “is not waiting” and preliminary operations are under way in the area, with Hamas now “battered and bruised”.
“We have begun the preliminary operations and the first stages of the attack on Gaza City, and already now IDF forces are holding the outskirts of Gaza City,” he said.
Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army to “shorten the timelines for seizing the last terror strongholds and for the defeat of Hamas,” he said in a statement. It did not specify the new timelines.
Last week, the Israeli Prime Minister said his plan to expand military action in the war-torn enclave was the “best way to end the war”. He insisted Israel had “no choice” but to “finish the job” and “defeat” Hamas in its last two strongholds: Gaza City and the camps in the al-Mawasi area along the coast.
He compared invading Gaza City to Israel’s military operations in Rafah last year, when more than a million civilians were evacuated from the border town.
The army has called up 60,000 reservists as the Gaza war looks set to continue amid flailing ceasefire talks.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, warning of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of Israel’s newly launched military operation in Gaza City.
Speaking at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Japan, Guterres said: “It is vital to reach immediately a ceasefire in Gaza... [this is] necessary to avoid the death and destruction that a military operation against Gaza City would inevitably cause.”
The Secretary-General also urged Israel to reverse its decision to expand settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, a move long condemned by the UN. He reiterated his call for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.
World leaders have strongly condemned the Israeli security cabinet’s decision to send forces into the city because of the potential to worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian situation for the Gazan people.
But Israel Katz, the Israeli Defence Minister, rejected the criticism and said on Wednesday that plans had been approved to push into the city, which would include extending the service of an additional 20,000 reservists currently serving.
“We now call on our heroic soldiers in the reserves, permanent and regular ranks, to stand up in order to bring about the release of the hostages, the subjugation of Hamas, and the end of the war on the terms set by Israel,” said Katz.
“I instruct you to use all tools and all power to strike the enemy until it is subdued, and to protect IDF soldiers. This is the supreme consideration, and anyone who has any complaints should contact me.”
Israeli troops clashed on Wednesday with more than 15 Hamas terrorists who emerged from tunnel shafts and attacked with gunfire and anti-tank missiles near Khan Younis, south of Gaza City, severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others, an Israeli military official said. Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades confirmed carrying out a raid on Israeli troops south-east of Khan Younis and engaging Israeli troops at point-blank range. It said one fighter blew himself up among the soldiers, causing casualties, during an attack that lasted several hours.
Hamas agreed on Monday to a 60-day ceasefire in return for releasing around half of the hostages it took in its raid on Israel on October 7. Israel’s Government spokesman hinted that it would reject the proposal, saying it was not interested in “partial deals”.
The new plan to invade Gaza City will look to further pile pressure on Hamas to bend towards Israel’s demands, but recruiting so many reservists after nearly two years of war could be difficult.
One mental health counsellor for the soldiers told The Telegraph: “These guys are exhausted – they can’t fight any more. They’re broken.”
Many of those extending their service are already suffering from PTSD with little time to recover, said the counsellor. Some have been sent to military prisons for refusing to return to the fighting.
“We are literally running out of soldiers and the physical and mental toll is enormous,” the counsellor added, saying that at least 16 soldiers had committed suicide this year, unable to deal with the trauma.
According to Israeli army radio, the military is preparing for a “prolonged operation of several months that will run into 2026”.
However, many in Israel have had enough of the conflict and have increased pressure on the Government to end the war and bring home the hostages. Thousands of people carried out a nationwide strike earlier this week, blocking major roads and refusing to work.
The call-up came as the country approved a controversial settlement project on Wednesday that would effectively divide the occupied West Bank, a move that Palestinians and human rights groups said could destroy plans for a future Palestinian state.
Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen as a result of US pressure during previous administrations. Petitions against the development were rejected on August 6.
Construction of homes could begin in around a year, with 3500 apartments planned to expand the settlement of Maale Adumim.
Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, said: “This reality finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state, because there is nothing to recognise and no one to recognise.
“Anyone in the world who tries today to recognise a Palestinian state will receive an answer from us on the ground.”
His comments followed announcements by Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada that they would recognise a Palestinian state.
Israel has stepped up airstrikes this week despite the mounting pressure that it end the war and alleviate the suffering of the Gaza Strip’s remaining inhabitants.
Already at least 62,064 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the fighting, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable.
On Tuesday, Israel said it had killed the terrorist who kidnapped former hostage Yarden Bibas, the father of Kfir and Ariel and husband of Shiri, who were killed in Hamas captivity.
The IDF said on Tuesday that Jihad Kamal Salem Najjar died in an airstrike on August 10. The terrorist kidnapped Bibas, who was released as part of a temporary ceasefire deal in February, from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
“A small part of my closure happened today,” he said in a statement, telling security forces: “Thanks to you, he will be unable to hurt anyone else.”