Israeli Army Reports Night Attack on 200 Hamas Targets in Gaza

On Tuesday, October 17, the Israeli army announced in a statement that in continuation of its attacks on Gaza, over 200 targets belonging to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were struck on the night of October 16. According to the 'Times of Israel,' citing the army, one of the Hamas sites attacked resulted in the deaths of several members of the group. The report also stated that one of the banks used by Hamas was targeted in the Israeli army's attacks. The Israeli army also mentioned that its naval forces conducted strikes against Hamas command centers and weapons storage locations in Gaza City. According to the report, Israeli forces killed 'four terrorists' who were attempting to cross from the Lebanese border. The war in Gaza has now entered its eleventh day, with visits from officials of various countries, including American and German officials to Israel, and the Israeli army's readiness for a ground invasion of Gaza, increasing the likelihood of an escalation of the crisis in the region. Additionally, the commander of CENTCOM arrived in Tel Aviv for meetings with Israeli military officials. The Israeli army began its attacks on the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas militants' attacks on southern Israel on October 6, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,300 people, most of whom were civilians. According to Hamas officials, approximately 2,500 people have been killed in the aftermath of Israeli attacks on Gaza. However, Israeli officials claim that their attacks target Hamas objectives and accuse the group of using civilians as human shields. The Islamic Republic, a financial and military supporter of Hamas, has repeatedly warned about the 'expansion of war fronts.' The Islamic Republic is also known to be a financial and military supporter of its proxy groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has recently conducted attacks against northern Israel. In this context, Hezbollah on Monday provocatively targeted and disabled Israeli surveillance cameras at the border with Lebanon. Hezbollah's media outlet reported that snipers shot at Israeli surveillance cameras at five border points in the Metula area, disabling them. According to the Associated Press, it appears that Hezbollah intends to conceal its military movements at the border with Israel from observers. Simultaneously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah on Monday not to 'test us' in northern Israel. The former President of Israel stated to Voice of America: 'We Israelis are united, Jews and Muslims together.' Discussions with leaders from Egypt, Iran, Syria, and Palestine; Putin called for a swift end to the conflicts. Blinken, before leaving Tel Aviv, stated that Biden would emphasize American solidarity with Israel during his visit. The U.S. and Israel agreed to devise a plan for transferring humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. The White House, ahead of Biden's trip to Israel and Jordan, stated that the U.S. does not want any other actors to enter this conflict.