Israel’s impending ground operation in the Gaza sector has raised alarms over the potential destruction of a significant number of civilian lives. James Hippie, the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense in the United Kingdom, expressed these concerns in an interview with Sky News. On October 13, Israel informed the United Nations that 1.1 million Palestinians must evacuate to the south of Gaza due to the upcoming operation.
Hippie voiced confidence in the Israeli military’s ability to choose precise targets and possess reliable intelligence about them. However, he emphasized the need to acknowledge the potential horrors of such an operation. Israel’s objective is to eradicate the Palestinian radical movement, Hamas, but Hippie pointed out that this adversary deliberately hides among the civilian population.
Furthermore, Hippie added that up to 10 British citizens could be held captive by Hamas. On October 7, Hamas forces launched thousands of rockets into Israeli territory and declared the start of the “Flood of Al-Aqsa” operation. Thousands of militants infiltrated Israeli territory, taking over a hundred hostages. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared the country to be in a state of war.
In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated Operation “Iron Swords,” with one of its objectives being the complete annihilation of Hamas. Since then, the Israeli Air Force has continued to strike militant targets in the Gaza sector. Previously, “Gazeta.Ru” provided answers to key questions about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
