Israel begins ground operation in Hamas stronghold of Rafah, expands activities in Gaza

Israel Katzdefense Minister

The Air Force attack against Hamas terrorists was just the first step,

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday

During the last 24 hours, [Israeli] forces began a focused ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip with the aim of expanding the security zone and creating a partial barrier between the northern and southern parts of the Strip,

an Israeli military spokesperson said Wednesday,

Incoming rocket sirens sounding off in Israel,

he wrote

Khaled Khiarithe Middle East

With every passing day, we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes,

Khiari told a U.N. Security Council briefing

This endless vicious cycle of violence needs to end,

he said,

President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all 59 hostages immediately – including American citizens ... or pay a steep price,

she said

The aim of this campaign against Hamas is to dismantle their capabilities, to prevent them from carrying out terror attacks and to create pressure for hostages being returned - whether it's through military operations, or through some sort of political deal,

Shoshani said on Wednesday

Yaakov Amidrormajor General

In a democratic state, the internal legitimacy (of a war) is very, very important,

said retired General Yaakov Amidror, who served as Netanyahu's national security adviser in 2011-2013

Rooting out the Hamas fighters still left would require more manpower, more boots on the ground,

said Amidror

Until now my feeling was that as long a there are hostages there, I am in, but now I don't know,

said one special forces reservist, who spent about eight of the first 15 months of the war deployed in Gaza, Lebanon and northern Israel

After October 7, we felt like the country was falling apart, But the country isn't falling apart now,

he said

This is another example of the Houthi's complete and reckless disregard for the people of Yemen and aggression toward the humanitarian operations that help those in need,

CENTCOM said

Residents of Gaza, this is a final warning,

he said in a video broadcast Wednesday afternoon

A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (Israeli Air Force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory,

the IDF said in a statement minutes after an all-clear was given

They can’t make a decision,

Ayoub said

Day by day, the materials are decreasing and the prices are rising significantly,

Ayoub said

Maybe they could set up a tent in Gaza City, or somewhere else that’s empty,

Ayoub said of her parents

It’s not easy for them to leave their land,

she told The Washington Post by text

Netanyahu is doing this because he has a problem he wants to solve by centralising as much power as possible and getting rid of all the gatekeepers and professionals … but this does not align with the interests of the state of Israel, only with those of the prime minister and his government.”

Fuchs said

Eitan HerzlcEO of Brothers in Arms

This government has now also started a war, once again, to protect itself, to divert the discourse from the things that bother the public in Israel. The government has lost all legitimacy on every possible level … They are failing,

said Eitan Herzel, chief executive of the Brothers in Arms protest movement