Israel All Set For A 'Lethal' Attack From 'Land, Sea and Air' On Gaza In Ongoing War With Hamas

In the ongoing conflict with Hamas, Israel is preparing for a formidable ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has delivered a resolute vow, declaring this attack will be nothing short of "lethal."

During a visit to an area near the Gaza coastline with the Israeli Navy on Monday, 23rd October, Gallant issued a stern message to the armed forces, emphasizing their readiness for an imminent ground offensive. His words carried a clear warning: "We are preparing thoroughly. It will be a lethal attack. It will be a combined attack from land, sea, and air."

Gallant's statement came shortly after the Israeli army expressed its eagerness to invade Gaza and voiced concerns about maintaining soldiers at the border in a state of full readiness indefinitely, as reported by the Times of Israel.

Apart from this, following are the key developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas War:

1. U.S. Sends Military Advisers to Israel
The United States has dispatched a "few" military advisers to Israel following the Hamas attacks on 7th October as per the White House.

These advisers possess experience in the operations that Israel is currently conducting and may undertake in the future. They have been sent to share their perspectives and support Israel's defense efforts. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that the officers have experience in "the sorts of operations that Israel is conducting, and may conduct in the future," and were "over there to share some perspectives" as quoted by the Times of Israel.

The U.S. has also accused Iran of actively facilitating attacks on American bases in the Middle East, stating that Iran continues to support Hamas and Hezbollah. "Iran continues to support Hamas and Hezbollah, and we know that Iran is closely monitoring these events and in some cases, actively facilitating these attacks and spurring on others who may want to exploit the conflict for their own good or for that of Iran," Kirby added.

2. Hamas Calls for Humanitarian Aid
Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, has called on Arab and Muslim nations and the United Nations to intensify their efforts to establish "a permanent humanitarian corridor for Gaza Strip". They argue that this is crucial to prevent what they see as Israeli attempts to cause suffering to the Gazan population. While aid convoys have entered Gaza recently, Hamas contends that the supplies are insufficient to meet the increasing needs of the civilian population.

3. IDF says it killed five commanders of Hamas
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said that they have targeted and eliminated five commanders within Hamas's aerial forces in recent airstrikes in Gaza. These commanders played a significant role in air defense in the Strip and were implicated in the 7th October attacks in southern Israel.
As per a report in the Times of Israel, "The IDF names them as Moathe Abed al-Rahman, responsible for the unit's training; Othman Hamdan, commander of air defenses in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood; Muhammad Alrifi, responsible for the unit's supplies in Gaza City; and Ghassan Shakfouh, responsible for the unit's training in northern Gaza"

4. French President's Visit to Israel on Tuesday, 24th October

French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Israel and is expected to call for a resumption of a genuine peace process and advocate for the creation of a Palestinian state. He will also emphasize the importance of halting the colonization of the West Bank.
"The only way to be useful is to one, show solidarity to Israel; two, make commitments against terrorist groups very clear; and three, to open up a political perspective," Macron's office says ahead of the trip, as quoted by the Times Of Israel.

5. IDF Chief of Staff Says "very well prepared"
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has assured that the Israeli ground forces are well-prepared for an offensive in the Gaza Strip. The objective is to weaken Hamas comprehensively, targeting its leadership, military wing, and infrastructure. "We want to bring Hamas to a point of disintegration. Its leadership, its military wing. That is why we attack with great force. We are killing senior commanders, killing operatives, destroying infrastructure, and acting with great determination," Halevi was quoted saying by Times Of Israel. As per Halvei, ground forces have been meticulously preparing for a maneuver in the south because of which there have been apparent delays in attacks.

6. Release of Captive Israeli Women
In a significant development, the families of hostages Nurit Cooper, 79 and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85 have been informed of their release from captivity in Gaza. Both women were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Nir Oz, while their husbands remained in captivity. Photographs and video footage aired on Egyptian television depict Yocheved Lifshitz and Nurit Cooper inside ambulances at the Rafah crossing. Medical professionals are shown tending to them, ensuring their well-being.