Israel-Gaza violence: Israeli ground troops attack Gaza Strip — live updates
- Israeli says its ground troops are carrying out an attack in Gaza
- At least 103 Palestinians have died since Monday, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry
- Seven people have been killed in Israel
This live article was last updated at 23:13 UTC
Israel urgently warns citizens in Gaza border towns
Israel has asked citizens in towns that lie within four kilometers (roughly 2.5 miles) of Gaza’s border to head to bomb shelters. These citizens are expected to stay in the shelters until further notice.
Israel says troops deployed to Gaza Strip
Israel said it has deployed troops to the Gaza Strip late Thursday, but it is unclear the extent of their operations.
“Israeli planes and troops on the ground are carrying out an attack in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a tweet.
IDF spokesperson John Conricus confirmed the ground operation in comments to AFP news agency.
When asked by Germany’s DPA news agency about the operation, an IDF spokeswoman would not say whether troops had actually entered Gaza of if they are carrying out operations on the Israeli side of the border.
Benjamin Netanyahu said military operations towards Gaza would continue, reiterating his previous claim that Hamas will pay a “heavy price” for its actions.
Hamas has warned against a ground invasion by the Israeli military.
Military commanders said they had drafted a plan for a ground incursion into Gaza on Thursday.
Israeli troops last entered the Gaza Strip in 2014 during Operation Protective Edge against Hamas.
A new barrage of rockets from Gaza have followed the military’s announcement. Rocket alarms have gone off across southern Israel in the cities of Ashdod and Beersheba early Friday, with Hamas saying it shot off 50 rockets toward the area, the Times of Israel news outlet has reported.
wd/wmr (AP, AFP, Reuters)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/israel-gaza-violence-israeli-ground-troops-attack-gaza-strip-live-updates/a-57523455?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf