Israel planning 'something big', considering ground invasion of Gaza: Report Updated: Oct 12, 2023, 06:42 PM IST
Israel's national security establishment and people have been demanding retribution for the brutal attacks carried out by Hamas militants over the weekend
According to a report published in Bloomsberg, Israeli troops are massing for a suspected ground invasion of Gaza. The country's national security establishment and public have been demanding retribution for the attacks carried out by the Hamas militants over the weekend, which took the lives of more than 1,300 Israelis.
However, it will be a complicated task for the Israeli army to carry out a ground invasion considering the dense population of Gaza, its complex underground network of tunnels and the threat that the Israelis, Americans and others have been facing as hostages.
"The problem is that it's basically house-to-house fighting once you get into Gaza. And so it could be a heavy price," said former US Defence Secretary and CIA Director Leon Panetta on Tuesday (Oct 10) while speaking on Bloomberg Television's "Balance of Power." "But on the other hand, I think it's very clear that Israel has made the decision that they have got to crush Hamas in Gaza," he added.
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An invasion would lead to heavy casualties on the two sides and questions about whether Israel can plan an exit strategy for the conflict. This can also lead to ripple effects throughout the Middle East and endanger the fragile rapprochement of Israel with its Arab neighbours, increasing the risks of conflict turning into a broader regional war.
According to an official, an invasion may look like the 2004 battle for Fallujah in Iraq which also involves bloody street-to-street fighting.
Israel's severe response to Gaza No announcement has been made by Israel about sending troops into Gaza, however, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that "what we will do to our enemies in the coming days will reverberate with them for generations."
As per the report, the developments taking place on the ground clearly suggest that something big is being planned by Israel. Tel Aviv has been bombarding Gaza from the land, air and sea. A base is being built by the military next to the Gaza Strip to accommodate tens of thousands of soldiers as columns of Israeli tanks continue moving towards the region. Already 300,000 reservists have been mobilised by the country.
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"Israel is going to respond very severely and aggressively and there will be more loss of life," said Richard Hecht, a spokesman for the Israeli military, while speaking to journalists on Tuesday (Oct 10).
The experts feel that there is a high possibility of a ground invasion by Israel because of the limitations of aerial warfare in Gaza. It is being said that the airstrikes will not be able to clear out the underground weapons stockpiles, tunnels, and smuggling routes that made the Hamas attack possible on Saturday.
