The Free

BREAKING: ‘Expansion’ Of Israeli Ground Operations In Gaza Strip Put Entire Region At Risk

from thefreeonline on 27th Oct 2023, 9:50 GMT by SouthFront

On the evening of October 27, the Israel Defense Forces announced the expansion of ground military operations in the Gaza Strip. The territory of the Gaza Strip is currently subjected to one of the most massive bombardments by Israel since the beginning of the escalation. Communication systems and the Internet were cut off in the region. The Israeli army is launching strikes from the air, ground and from the sea.

A number of Israeli resources, citing sources in the IDF, report the beginning of a ground operation in Gaza. The others clarified that this is not the full-scaled invasion yet.

Tel Aviv likely announced “the expansion of the ground operations” in an attempt to avoid officially declaring the beginning of the previously announced invasion. The scale of the ongoing ground operations is yet to be revealed. In the recent days, Israeli forces have already entered the territory of the Gaza Strip but their actions were very limited.

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White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby: There are no “red lines” for Israel

Groups in Gaza have announced the mobilization of their forces. Hamas has declared its readiness to resist the ground operation of the Israeli military.

Israeli tanks reportedly entered the eastern part of the settlement of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip. Shooting was reported at all checkpoints near the city of Nablus. The military wing of Hamas said it was repelling an Israeli ground invasion in the eastern part of the Al-Bureij camp in the Gaza Strip. According to preliminary reports, the IDF have already suffered losses among personnel and armored vehicles.

Palestinian sources report that US special forces are taking part in the Israeli ground operation.

Earlier in the evening, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad reported rocket attacks on the Israeli cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod and Sderot. The Hamas military wing announced the shelling of the Israeli capital Tel Aviv.

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The strikes on Gaza continue. The situation in enclave is catastrophic. The Gaza Strip is completely cut off from the outside world, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society claimed. The Red Cross reports that it has lost contact with all its employees stationed in Gaza. The World Health Organization has also lost contact with its staff in the Gaza Strip. Contact with The Washington Post correspondents was lost.

Hamas has offered to free civilian prisoners – Iranian FM

Civilian captives could be transferred to Iran with Turkish and Qatari help, and released from there, according to media reports

The Palestinian militant group Hamas is willing to release non-combatants it has held captive since October 7, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian revealed on Thursday.

“According to our negotiations, Hamas is ready to release civilian prisoners,” Amir-Abdollahian told the UN General Assembly, as cited by The National, an UAE-based outlet.

MASSACRE!

ביממה האחרונה, מטוסי קרב של צה"ל תקפו מעל ל-250 מטרות של ארגון הטרור חמאס ברצועת עזה.

בין המטרות שנתקפו, תשתיות טרור, מפקדות מבצעיות, פירי מנהרות טרור ומשגרי רקטות המוצבים בסביבה אזרחית אשר בוצע באמצעותם ירי לעבר ישראל במהלך הלחימה>> pic.twitter.com/kIZqeSd3O4
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 26, 2023

Oct 27- Israel intensifies Gaza bombardment as internet and phone services cut by Israel

#starlinkforgaza

Israel just cut all cell service and internet access to Gaza. Will you provide them the access of Starlink as you have provided Ukraine not too long ago? Or do you wanna be silent against the genocide in Gaza? #starlinkforgaza @elonmusk
pic.twitter.com/8G42YZq58S
— Särãh 🇵🇸🤍 (@XonBro) October 27, 2023

“On the other hand, the world should support the release of 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons,” he added.

Hamas took more than 200 captives during the October 7 incursion into occupied Israel. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring war on the group (elected government of Gaza) and launching air and artillery strikes on Gaza.

According to one Hamas official, 50 of the hostages have been killed by the Israeli blitz and near total blockade so far, along with more than 7,000 Palestinians, nearly all civilians, over 2500 of them children.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks at the UN General Assembly, October 26, 2023 in New York City. © Eduardo Munoz Alvarez / Getty Images

The Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen reported that Hamas would be willing to work with Türkiye and Qatar to facilitate the transfer of prisoners into Iranian custody.

Hamas frees two first US hostages, Judith and Natalie Raanan – BBC News

It was not clear whether this release would be unilateral or in exchange for the jailed Palestinians.

Amir-Abdollahian’s announcement comes just hours after his deputy, Ali Bagheri, held talks with Russian counterparts in Moscow, which focused on the “need for a ceasefire in and around the Gaza Strip and the prompt provision of humanitarian aid to the affected Palestinian population,” according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russia’s special envoy for the Middle East, Mikhail Bogdanov, and Bagheri agreed to “closely coordinate efforts to stabilize the situation” in the region, the ministry added.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking Hamas delegation was also in Moscow to discuss the hostage issue. Moussa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of the group’s political council, led the team that discussed the release of hostages and evacuation of Russian and other foreign nationals from Gaza.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed the visits by Marzouk and Bagheri at the regular press briefing on Thursday, promising “additional information” once it is available.

Qatar pressing Hamas to release women, children…

Israel has denounced the Hamas mission to Moscow and demanded Russia immediately expel them.

Turkey discusses with Hamas the release of civilian hostages

absolute horror and despair. I have no words. nothing anyone can say can properly express how devastating and terrifying this is.#starlinkforgaza pic.twitter.com/pPrchv66V3
— sh 🇵🇸 (@shxnaya) October 27, 2023

🚨 UPDATE FROM #GAZA 🇵🇸
REPOST VIA @m7mdkurd’s instagram.

‘This is the most recent, and only, voice call out of Gaza after internet and cellular service were cut off. This person is able to make this call because he had a Turkish SIM’ #Gaza_Genocide #StarlinkForGaza @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/HRbw1SLQnj
— Majid Freeman (@Majstar7) October 27, 2023

Israel don’t want the world to know what’s going on in Gaza!🇮🇱🇵🇸#starlinkforgaza pic.twitter.com/P0IygS2XWH
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) October 27, 2023