Israeli Army Commanders Warn Gaza Residents: We Are Ready to Enter Gaza, Move South

Senior commanders of the Israeli army emphasized on Saturday the imminent entry of Israeli forces into Gaza and warned of increased airstrikes in the region, urging Gaza residents to move south. Herzl Halevi, Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, stated on Saturday among the army commanders, "We will soon begin our operations to eliminate Hamas; we are entering the Gaza Strip to professionally destroy all Hamas elements and infrastructure." Referring to the Hamas attack on October 7 that killed at least 1,400 people, he added, "When the Israeli army enters Gaza, it will have all those casualties and images of Hamas's crimes in mind." Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israeli army, also announced on Saturday, October 29, that the Israeli Defense Forces would increase their airstrikes on Gaza starting today. In a press conference in Tel Aviv, he stated, "We will increase our attacks to minimize the risks of the next phases of the war." He added, "Our main effort in Gaza is to destroy the terrorists, especially those involved in the massacre on Saturday, October 7." In response to a question about whether Israel had halted ground operations in Gaza due to U.S. pressure, he said, "The Israeli army will begin ground operations whenever the conditions are ready." The spokesperson also warned of the continuation and escalation of Israeli attacks on Gaza, urging residents of the enclave to move south as soon as possible. Reports from the region indicate that Israel has stationed tanks and soldiers near the Gaza border, around the narrow coastal area, preparing for a ground attack aimed at destroying Hamas. Majid Golpour discusses the challenges ahead in the war between Israel and Hamas coinciding with the peace summit in Egypt. He notes that Israelis have mixed feelings about a ground attack on Gaza, ranging from support to doubt and opposition. European leaders are meeting with Biden at the White House focusing on aid to Israel and Ukraine. Hossein Aghaei states that the parties involved have launched a significant psychological and media war, and in the long term, the target could be a war in Tehran.