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Israel launches ground operation in Gaza

Israel launches ground operation in Gaza
Photo by Reuters

18th July 2014

By: Sapa

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Israeli troops launched a ground offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Thursday night, after days of heavy bombardment, the military said.

"Following ten days of Hamas attacks by land, air and sea, and after repeated rejections of offers to de-escalate the situation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has initiated a ground operation within the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a statement.

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Israeli media said that Israeli helicopter gunships were seen hovering over the northern Gaza Strip, where thousands of Palestinians had been warned by the IDF to stay in shelters or any protected areas.

The ground incursion aims to "establish a reality in which Israeli residents can live in safety and security without continued indiscriminate terror, while striking a significant blow to Hamas' terror infrastructure," the IDF statement said.

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The operation is led by the IDF's Southern Command with close coordination between IDF units including infantry, armoured corps, engineer corps, artillery, and intelligence combined with aerial and naval support, the statement said.

The Prime Minister's Office said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon instructed the military to embark on the ground operation late on Thursday.

The operation aims to "damage the underground tunnel terrors constructed in Gaza leading into Israeli territory ... such a tunnel was used earlier this morning by Hamas terrorists to enter Israeli territory, with intent to cause massive harm to Israeli civilians".

Earlier on Thursday, the IDF thwarted an attempted infiltration by Hamas militants through a tunnel under the Gaza border. The tunnel was quickly destroyed by the Israeli air force. Hamas said all its 13 members in the tunnel had safely evacuated.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Hamas movement said Israel's decision to start a ground operation in Gaza is an irresponsible and dangerous step, for which "the Israeli army will pay a heavy price," a Hamas spokesperson said, adding that Hamas is well prepared for the current confrontation.

Israeli media reported that explosions were heard near Waffa hospital in northern Gaza where the IDF believes long-range rockets are stored.

The Israeli ground invasion was launched after fighting resumed along the Gaza border following a temporary ceasefire ended on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier on Thursday, an UN-brokered five-hour ceasefire took place from 10:00am to 3:00pm local time (0700 to 1200 GMT) to let humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Some 105 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel since the humanitarian truce ended, the Israeli military said, adding that 20 of those rockets were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile systems.

The IDF has since struck 30 targets in the Gaza Strip, including concealed rocket launchers and tunnels.

The escalation came after conflicting reports on the progress of the Egypt-brokered truce talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Reports said earlier on Thursday that a cease-fire agreement had been reached and would come into effect Friday morning, which was later denied by Israel.

Palestinian medical officials said that more than 240 people have been killed, including many children and women, and more than 1 770 injured since July 8, when Israel started Operation Protective Edge in Gaza to end rockets fired by Hamas and other Palestinian groups.

SA concerned over escalation of violence

Meanwhile, South Africa has expressed its concern, over the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine territories, to Israeli Ambassador Arthur Lenk.

On Wednesday, Lenk was summoned to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) for a meeting with Deputy Minister Nomaindia Mfeketo.

Deputy Minister Mfeketo expressed South Africa’s grave concern over the escalation of violence, which has resulted in the loss of civilian life and the destruction of property in Gaza.

Mfeketo told Lenk that the South African Government strongly opposes any threat of ground invasion and urged the State of Israel to refrain from making utterances that may worsen the situation.

The South African government called on the State of Israel to immediately cease its air strikes into the Gaza Strip, allow safe and free passage of civilians and make it possible for humanitarian organisations to work on alleviating the suffering of victims of the violence.

Mfeketo also stressed that South Africa is opposed to any attempt to use the current situation to undermine the Unity Government in Palestine whose advent was warmly welcomed by peace-loving people the world over.

In addition, Pretoria demanded that Israeli authorities lift all restrictions to the importation of building material and equipment into the Gaza Strip to enable destitute families and the Gaza Administration to re-build homes and infrastructure destroyed by the current and previous Israeli acts of aggression in Palestine.

“The South African Government also demands the immediate halt to the construction and expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli Government, which violates international law, gravely undermines peace efforts, and threatens the viability of the two-State solution,” said Mfeketo.

In response, Lenk explained the State of Israel’s position in the conflict and stated that he would convey the South African Government’s message to his Government.

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