Netanyahu announced the start of the third stage of the military operation in the Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has entered the third phase of its military operation against the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. About it stated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to him, the first stage of blocking has been completed. The second phase involved air attacks.

“The third stage is the expansion of ground penetration into the Gaza Strip. The IDF is doing this in measured, very powerful steps, systematically moving step by step,” Netanyahu said at a meeting of the Israeli government.

He noted that at the same time, the IDF is working on “containment on the northern front.” The Israeli prime minister again warned Hezbollah that if it enters the conflict, the militants will receive “a blow that they cannot even imagine”

Netanyahu added that Israel continues efforts to free the hostages. According to him, “during the maneuver” the army will not miss this opportunity. The Israeli prime minister admitted that the military operation involves “losses and surprises,” emphasizing that Hamas will be defeated.

Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7. The country’s Defense Forces (IDF) responded by launching Operation Iron Swords. According to the latest data, more than 9,000 people have died as a result of the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Gaza reported 8,005 dead in the Israeli strikes, and about 1,400 people were killed in Israel after the group’s attack. The UN said nearly 70% of those killed in the Gaza Strip were women and children. About it reported TASS citing data from the Commissioner General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini.

IDF announced On October 27, it announced the expansion of the ground operation in the enclave and called on residents of the northern Gaza Strip to move to the south, promising them humanitarian assistance. The army representative stated that the Israeli army was moving to a “new phase” of the war with Hamas. Ambassador Ben Zvi clarifiedthat Israel has not yet launched a full-scale ground operation in Gaza.