As Israel amasses troops for an expected ground war in the Gaza Strip, its planes are issuing a warning to residents of the densely packed area.
Residents of Beit Lahiya in the northern part of Gaza said Thursday that Israeli planes urged civilians to find refuge in “known shelters,” according to the Associated Press.
“Anyone who is near Hamas terrorists will put their lives in danger,” the flyers said. “Adhering to IDF instructions will prevent you from being exposed to danger.”
Amongst this complex is the Mukhabarat (Intelligence) Tower
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) October 12, 2023
The AP report said that the area had been attacked before the flyers were found.
As Israel’s bombardment of Gaza continues, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Israel will not apologize for attacking residential areas of Gaza that are used by Hamas as places to launch rockets into Israel, according to Fox News.
“With all due respect, if you have a missile in your God d**** kitchen, and you want to shoot it at me, am I allowed to defend myself? Yes. That is the situation, these missiles are there … the missile comes up from the kitchen onto my children,” Herzog said.
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“Humanity has to decide, are we accommodating terror or are we fighting terror? We are fighting terror,” he said.
“Unfortunately, in their homes, there are missiles shooting at us, at my children, on the entire nation of Israel. We have to defend ourselves. We have the full right to do so,” he said. “And it’s about time that the world understands it. This is the tragedy of using terror, and there is no mercy to terror.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a press conference tonight: “We will wipe Hamas off the face of the earth.”
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 11, 2023
Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said Israel will not release its grip on Gaza unless all the hostages taken in the Hamas attack on Saturday are freed.
“Humanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be lifted, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home. Humanitarian for humanitarian. And nobody should preach us morals,” he posted on X, according to The Washington Post.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, a representative of the Israel Defense Forces, said Israel’s upcoming assault is not to punish a few leaders, but root out and destroy Hamas.
“Unlike other operations, we are collapsing the governance and sovereignty of the Hamas organization,” he said.
IDF says it has carried out strikes against some 3,600 targets across the Gaza Strip, using more than 6,000 munitions. pic.twitter.com/vCDbHGxV3r
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 12, 2023
One Hamas leader said the terrorist group is braced for the fight.
“We’re actually waiting for [an Israeli ground invasion] because we can’t confront the American fighter jets from the skies,” senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk said in an interview with the Economist. “But we have tough men on the ground, they can confront any threat.”
