Netanyahu: We are preparing to invade Gaza

There will be a ground invasion of Gaza: we don’t know when or how, but it will happen. In a dramatic speech to the nation Benjamin Netanyahu He announced this to his country and to the world The only way to eliminate Hamas and free the hostages is to enter the Palestinian Strip. But the Prime Minister took it a step further. He also claimed responsibility for the October 7 attacks for the first time:

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“It was a black day. We will explain everything that happened. I admit that everyone must provide explanations for this attack, starting with me. But only after the war. My mission now is to lead the country to victory.” . Only the Israeli Defense Cabinet will decide to begin ground operationsNetanyahu confirmed on television after hypotheses and speculation multiplied in recent days about the reasons for postponing the invasion, which seemed imminent immediately after the Hamas attacks.

The most recent was what was published by the Wall Street Journal, according to which Israel would have accepted a postponement to allow the United States to deploy dozens of air defense systems to protect American forces in the region from rockets and missiles, in light of the repeated Iranian and American threats to it. Allies of Lebanese Hezbollah. The wait must continue – according to the American newspaper – until everything is ready, perhaps already at the end of the week. Although Joe Biden announced from Washington that he “did not request” anything to this effect from Israel. Netanyahu explained: “We are preparing to enter Gaza. I will not say how or when. There are considerations that are unknown to the general public.” “The two goals are: eliminating Hamas and releasing the hostages. Everyone who participated in the October 7 attack will die.” But the invasion of Gaza also began to divide the Allies, as well as facing clear and predictable opposition from the Arab and Muslim world. French President Emmanuel Macron warned from Cairo, where he met his counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, that a “huge” ground operation would be a “mistake.” This is a step that, according to the French president, “would endanger the lives of the civilian population” without “protecting Israel over time.”

Al-Sisi was no exception, as he also issued a call to “avoid the invasion of Gaza.” Instead, Biden defended Israel’s “right and duty” to defend itselfHe described the Jewish state’s anger as “understandable.”But he again urged the ally to act “in accordance with the laws of war.” He then issued a warning to Israeli settlers to stop attacking Palestinians in the West Bank. And a new warning to Tehran: “If Iran continues to attack American forces in the Middle East, the United States will respond. This is my warning to the Ayatollah,” he added.

At the same time, Israel continues to bombard the Palestinian Strip with raids, relentlessly striking Hamas military facilities and targeting its leaders. While they were in Beirut, Hamas Vice President Saleh Al-Arouri and Islamic Jihad Vice President Ziad Al-Nakhalah met with the leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. At the summit of the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” the Israeli army announced that it had eliminated a member and one of the most prominent Hamas leaders: the commander of the Northern Brigade. In Khan Yunis, Tayseer Mubasher, the former commander of the militia’s naval force and a relative of Muhammad Deif, the supreme commander of the Qassam Brigades. Rockets continue to arrive from Gaza to the south and center of the country, but what is new is the launching of two long-range rockets towards Haifa (R-160) and Eilat (Ayyash 250), which are the two extreme sides of Israel.

In the enclave, the number of deaths reached 6,546 people and 17,439 people were injured: in the past 24 hours alone, 704 victims fell. Budgets provided by Hamas authorities, which Biden once again said he does not trust. Israeli police said they had identified 1,106 people killed by terrorists, including 308 soldiers. The number of hostages in the hands of the militias is still 222 (including 138 holding foreign passports), and Qatar’s efforts continue to reach an agreement to release them.