According to The New York Times, Israel is planning a weeks-long operation to clear the northern sector of Gaza. The Israeli officials have informed their American counterparts to expect further operations in the north before Israel prepares a separate initiative in the south of Gaza and expands its offensive.
Earlier, the Israeli Minister of Defense, Yoav Galant, announced that Israeli forces have “captured and cleared” the western part of the city of Gaza. He stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are moving on to the next phase of the operation in the Gaza sector. Galant expressed his belief that as the Israeli military advances deeper into the sector, they are approaching the liberation of hostages held in the Palestinian enclave. He noted that this would increase the chances of rescuing Israeli hostages.
Previously, it was reported that IDF fighters had taken operational control of a harbor in the Gaza sector, which was being used by the radical Palestinian movement Hamas for terrorist purposes.
The situation in the Middle East has escalated following the infiltration of thousands of Hamas militants from the Gaza sector into Israeli territory on October 7th, when Hamas declared the start of the “Flood of Al-Aqsa” operation. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country is in a state of war.
Earlier, Prime Minister Netanyahu had promised to destroy Hamas.
