IDF strike Hamas targets in Gaza
Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu has said the ground offensive in Gaza is “only the beginning” as he confirmed the “next stage of the war” has begun.
The prime minister added that the war will be “long and difficult” but said the country is prepared for this.
“This is the second stage of the war whose goals are clear – to destroy Hamas’ governing and military capabilities and to bring the hostages home,” Netanyahu said.
It comes as residents in the north of the bombarded enclave have been ordered to evacuate south as they were told their “window to act is closing”.
The bombardment, described by Gaza residents as the most intense of the war, also knocked out most communications.
This largely cut off the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from the world while enabling the Israeli military to control the narrative in a new stage of fighting.
Around 100,000 protestors take to the streets of London for a demonstration calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, after Israel ramped up its ground incursion into the Gaza Strip on Friday.
Benjamin Netanyahu says Gaza offensive will be ‘difficult and long’
Speaking at the press conference, Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the offensive in Gaza will be “difficult and long”.
He added that Israel is fighting its “second war of independence,” as he said: “We always said never again – never again is now.”
Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant said retrieving the hostages “is not a secondary mission, this is a mission of supreme importance”.
(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 19:12
Israel’s forces set up to punch deeper into Gaza with largest assault of war so far
Tanks and troops, backed by pounding airstrikes, look to create the space to press on, but face fierce clashes with Hamas at a number of locations. Kim Sengupta reports from Sderot, close to the Gaza border:
In their biggest ground operation of the war so far, Israeli forces appear to have established, after fierce fighting, bridgeheads in northern Gaza for massed troops and tanks to punch south deeper into the territory.
The attack, which began on Friday night, was much larger in scope and scale than the half-dozen previous raids, with more than a hundred warplanes carrying out pounding strikes for hours from the air while Merkava tanks and Namer armoured carriers and troops moved in on the ground.
The aim was to destroy Hamas’s defensive positions, flush out ambush points, and sweep for mines and boobytraps. There was stubborn resistance at a number of points, with prolonged clashes in the Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun area and further east near the Bureji refugee camp near the southern city of Khan Younis, a place to which people had fled after warnings to leave their homes in the north.
Kim Sengupta28 October 2023 20:10
Israel’s Netanyahu says contacts to return hostages will continue
Efforts to secure the release of more than 200 hostages will continue even during the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, after announcing the war had moved to a second phase.
Asked at a news conference whether contacts to release the hostages would continue even during the ground offensive, Netanyahu replied: “Yes”.
He said the idea of a swap deal of hostages for Palestinian prisoners had been discussed within the Israeli war cabinet but declined to elaborate, saying revealing any details would be counterproductive.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 19:56
‘The ground shook in Gaza’
The country’s defence minister said “the ground shook in Gaza“ and that the war against the territory’s Hamas rulers has entered a new stage.
The bombardment, described by Gaza residents as the most intense of the war, also knocked out most communications.
This largely cut off the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from the world while enabling the Israeli military to control the narrative in a new stage of fighting.
“We moved to the next stage in the war,” defence minister Yoav Gallant said in remarks broadcast on Saturday.
“Last evening, the ground shook in Gaza. We attacked above ground and underground. … The instructions to the forces are clear. The campaign will continue until further notice.”
(Getty Images)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 19:47
UAE condemns Israeli ground operations in Gaza Strip
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday condemned the Israeli ground operations in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, the state news agency WAM reported, citing the country’s foreign ministry.
UAE, which became the first Gulf country to normalise relations with Israel in 2020, also “expressed its deep concern over the Israeli military escalation and exacerbation of the humanitarian crisis that threatens more loss of civilian lives.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 19:31
Israel ‘fighting a war for entire humanity’- Netanyahu
“Israel is not fighting its own war but a war for entire humanity,” Benjamin Netanyahu said, adding that the Arab world now understands that “Unless Israel wins they will be next in line”.
“This is our second war of liberation, we are going to fight,” he said. “Together we shall fight, together we shall prevail.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 19:07
‘This is not going to be a short war’- Israel’s defence minister
“This is not going to be a short war. It’s going to be long,” Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant said.
He added: “It is a not a war of choice. It is us against them.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 18:59
Speaking about the wars Israel has fought in the past, Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We’ve always said, ‘Never again.’ Never again is now.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 18:49
Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu has said the country’s soldiers are “united” against Hamas.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 18:48
Netanyahu begins press conference
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has started speaking.
He said “additional ground forces from Israel entered Gaza” on Friday night.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain28 October 2023 18:46