Israel has mobilised around 400,000 soldiers along the Gazan border as they are set to enter Gaza as the army has been given the “green light” to launch their ground offensive.
Israels Economy Minister Nir Barkat told ABC News that the Israeli military has been given the “green light” to start the full-scale ground offensive.
Barkat said, “We shall do all efforts to bring our hostages, to bring our hostages [back] alive,” adding, their “first and last priority” is to totally destroy the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
On Thursday evening the Israeli military were told by the Defence Chief that the ground offensive is nearing as they “will soon” see Gaza “from inside.”
Read more on Israel-Hamas war:
US shoots down missiles from Yemen heading to Israel and issues a worldwide alert
Yoav Gallant told troops gathered neat to the Gaza Strip border that they will see the Palestinian territory “from inside,” his office announced, which suggest the ground offensive could be imminent.
The Israeli Defense Minister told infantry troops on Thursday evening, “You see Gaza now from a distance, you will soon see it from inside. The command will come.”
Gallant met with Israeli troops on Thursday and earlier on in the day he told his troops who are stationed near to Gaza in the town of Mavkiim the “battle will be extensive.”
Gallant told troops, “The battle will be an extensive one, a difficult one, and we will be precise, sharp, and deadly.
“But there will be a price for that, and we will have a price to pay, but we will go on until we complete this operation to the fullest.”
The Defence Minister told Israeli troops to “get organised, be ready” to enter into Palestinian territory, vowing there will be “no forgiveness” for Hamas just “total annihilation.”
Hisham Qassem who is a senior member of Hamas leadership overseas has warned Israel of their “ground invasion of the Gaza Strip” there will be “many surprises” awaiting the Israeli military.
Qassem seems confident that Hamas will respond effectively against the Israeli military as they “will dazzle them.”
Qassem said, “The prolonged aggression against our people in Gaza shows everyone that the criminal enemy is ‘aggressive’ in killing civilians and demolishing homes from the air, but the resistance still has many, many surprises, and by the grace of God, the damage to our capabilities is limited, and the resistance, God willing, always ready.”
He added, “Just as we dazzled the world in the flood of Al-Aqsa, we will dazzle them if the occupation [Israel] launches a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.”
The Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned on Monday there will be “pre-emptive action” against Israel after holding a meeting with the Lebanese Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and said there will be a “huge earthquake” if Israel does not stop attacking Gaza.
