ISRAEL says it has killed a top Hamas commander in air strikes, while its special forces have stormed into Gaza ahead of the full-scale invasion.
Super-elite Sayeret Matkal soldiers led tanks and infantry into Hamas lairs yesterday to hunt down terrorist rocket crews and reportedly discovered the bodies of Israeli hostages.
Israel claims to have taken out a top Hamas commander in air strikes
ReutersIsraeli troops and tanks have conducted raids in Gaza and ‘discovered the bodies of hostages’[/caption]
GettyIsrael could launch a full-scale land invasion into Gaza as soon as today[/caption]
ReutersNearly 2,000 Palestinians have been killed in the airstrikes on the enclave[/caption]
AFPIsrael has given Gaza’s residents until 4pm today to evacuate[/caption]
Israel’s military revealed last night that they had conducted “localised raids” into the bomb-blitzed Gaza Strip to “cleanse the area of terrorists and weapons”.
The mission was the first to probe Hamas defences ahead of an anticipated full-scale ground invasion that could begin as soon as today.
Israeli media reported that the remains of hostages missing since last weekend had been found during the special ops raids.
An Israeli defence source told The Sun: “It is safe to assume that special forces would have been involved in this stage of the operation – it is just the start.”
Modelled on Britain’s SAS, the Sayeret Matkal are the prime special forces unit of Israel and experts in hostage recovery.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy every member of Hamas as his army prepares to crush Hamas’s strongholds.
Over 360,000 reservists have been called up to bolster the 100,000-strong regular army, which is amassing on the border ahead of the expected land assault.
For days on end, Israel has been pounding Gaza with airstrikes in revenge for Hamas’s unprecedented cross-border attack, resulting in the slaughter of over 1,300 Israelis.
At least 1,900 Palestinians have been killed during the retaliatory bombardment of densely-populated Gaza, including 600 children.
The UN has warned that Gaza is descending into a “hellhole” and is on the “brink of collapse”.
The PM said in a TV address last night that Israel will “never forget these horrific acts of our enemies.”
Netanyahu added: “We are striking at our enemies with unprecedented might – this is just the beginning. We will end this war stronger than ever.”
Over 120 civilians – including foreign nationals – are being held inside besieged Gaza by Hamas, the IDF has said.
Hamas claimed on Friday that 13 of them had been killed in Israel’s retaliatory air strikes.
On Friday, Israel warned 1.1 million people living in the north of the Gaza Strip to flee their homes ahead of an “imminent attack”.
Tens of thousands of people have fled south, according to the UN, after Israel began a 24 hour countdown on Friday.
Families in cars, trucks and donkey carts packed with blankets and possessions were seen streaming down a main road out of Gaza City.
Today, the IDF told residents of Gaza City that they will not suffer any harm if they move between 10am to 4pm local time.
However, Hamas has dismissed Israel’s calls to flee as “fake propaganda” and ordered Palestinians to stay.
IDF spokesperson Jonathon Conricus has accused Hamas of preventing civilians from evacuating and using them as “human shields”.
It comes as…
More than 1,300 killed in Israel while Gaza death toll stands at nearly 2,000IDF confirmed troops and tanks conducted raids inside GazaHamas terrorists’ twisted battle plans revealedUK to send warships, Marines & spy planes to help IsraelKnifeman kills teacher in France on ‘Day of Jihad’Israeli commandos rescue 250 hostages from checkpointHero search teams find survivors of Hamas massacre alive 5 days onUK Jewish schools close over safety fears amid warning over anti-Israel demosThe first UK evacuation flight left Israel on Friday night
It comes after days of air strikes that have been successfully wiping out its Hamas kill list, an ex-British colonel has revealed.
Colonel Richard Kemp told The Sun: “I’ve watched an artillery battery firing mission against terrorists in Gaza yesterday.”
The former commander of troops in Afghanistan added: “And so far I believe that the IDF operations have been very successful.
“They’ve been making their way down [their] target list of terrorist leaders.”
The heavy bombardment of Gaza has sparked chilling threats of revenge from both Iran and Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah has insisted it is “fully prepared” to join Hamas in its bloody war with Israel.
Foreign powers have urged Hezbollah to stay put on the sidelines – but deputy chief Naim Qassem vowed to join “when the time comes for action”.
The group has already clashed with Israel across the Lebanese border multiple times in the past week.
Last night, IDF said it targeted the militant group in an airstrike over southern Lebanon in response to the group launching aerial objects into Israel.
Now, Iran has joined in on the threats, warning that “new fronts” will open up if its “war crimes” in Gaza continue.
A group of Reuters and Al Jazeera journalists were hit by an Israeli shell at the Lebanon-Israel border last night, killing one and leaving six others injured.
Harrowing footage captured the moment the shell exploded and a woman screamed: “I can’t feel my legs”.
“We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed,” Reuters said in a statement.
The journalists had been covering the border clashes which erupted since Hamas launched their grisly assault last weekend.
EPAA ball of fire erupts in Gaza City after an Israeli air strike last night[/caption]
AFPThe sky above Gaza turned red after an explosion[/caption]
AFPPalestinians have been fleeing with their belongings to safer areas in Gaza following the air strikes[/caption]
AFPIsrael began a 24 hour countdown for residents to flee on Friday[/caption]
The UN says that over 1,300 buildings have been destroyed in Gaza, which has been under a total siege all week.
Israel halted all deliveries of food, water, fuel and medicine to the tiny enclave on Monday in response to Hamas’s weekend attack.
On Wednesday, Gaza’s only power station ran out of fuel and shut down – leaving only lights powered by scattered private generators.
Harrowing photos showed blooded babies and children crammed into hospital wards as medics struggled with demand.
Over a million are attempting to flee to safety under both heaving bombardment and a blockade.
“No safe corridors were initially provided for people to safely comply with the orders to move southwards. Hundreds of people, including families, had to flee on foot,” the UN said.
The full electricity blackout has brought essential health, water and sanitation services “to the brink of collapse”, and exacerbated food insecurity, it said.
Hamas has claimed that a convoy of over 70 evacuees was destroyed in an Israeli air strikes, which the IDF has said it is now looking into.
Speaking to Sky News he said: “I’m not aware of any IDF strikes at this time to that location but we will be updating throughout the day.”
Podcast: Israel’s War on Terror Explained
The Sun has launched a brilliant new podcast ‘Israel’s War on Terror Explained’.
In the first episode, we talk to the Israel Defense Force about tactics in their Hamas offensive and the fraught mission to rescue hostages.
To listen, click here if you’re on mobile – or simply scan the QR code with your phone if you’re reading on a computer.
AlamyPalestinians are trying to flee under heavy bombardment and a blockade[/caption]
For days on end, Israel has battered Gaza City with aerial strikes
GettyA man amongst the rubble and ruin of Gaza City[/caption]
AFPThe UN said Gaza has turned into a ‘hell hole’[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
