Israel’s armed forces await ‘political decision’ to proceed with ground operation in Gaza Stripwhich is continuously bombarded in retaliation for the bloody attack by Hamas on October 7.

At a time when Israeli forces have gathered on the border with Gaza and everything indicates that a ground attack is imminent, Hamas with a propaganda video posted on the social network X with images of extreme conflict warns the Israeli army.

With a warning message to the Israeli army “A message to ground forces: This is what awaits you when you enter Gaza» in the video conflict scenes unfold with Hamas fighters neutralizing Israeli soldiers.

Israel has called on residents of the northern part of the besieged enclave (about 1.1 million people) to flee to the south, saying it is targeting Gaza City to destroy the Islamic group’s operational center.

According to the service tth UN for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), approximately one million are internally displaced in Gaza.

In two separate press conferences, military spokesmen Richard Hecht and Daniel Hagari said any ground operation would have to be preceded by a “political decision.”

“We will have conversations with the political leadership,” Hecht said.

Earlier, Defense Minister Yoav Gallad discussed the Gaza Strip evacuation and “humanitarian issues” with US senators, his office said. The minister underlined Israel’s “military might” and its “determination to destroy the enemy,” the statement added.

Army officials previously told reporters that the aim of operations in Gaza is to destroy the Hamas network so that it cannot carry out further attacks in the future. According to Hecht, the target is the head of Hamas in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, because he is believed to be the “mastermind” of the October 7 attacks: “He is programmed and we will get to him,” he said.

Netanyahu at the first meeting of the national unity government: We will crush Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened today, for the first time, meeting of the expanded emergency cabinet, stressing that the national unity displayed by Israelis sends a message, inside and outside the country.

“Hamas thought we would break up but we will crush HamasNetanyahu told his ministers.

“The Israeli forces know that the entire country is on their side and they understand that this is a decisive moment,” he added.

Sderot is being evacuated, ahead of the army’s ground operation in Gaza

Tat the same time, the remaining residents of Sderot, which was attacked by Hamas on October 7, are leaving the city. Three buses, with about fifty passengers each, are waiting outside a school in the center of Sderot, preparing to depart.

As sirens blare constantly, warning of rockets from the neighboring Gaza Strip, the few residents left in Sderot take to the streets instead of going to shelters. Their destination, the hotels of Eilat, on the Red Sea, at the southernmost tip of Israel. Some head to Jerusalem, others to Tel Aviv.