Reuters quoted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as saying on October 31 that its infantry units were attacking Hamas forces hiding in underground tunnels in the Gaza Strip. Hamas' underground tunnel system is one of the important targets of the IDF when sending infantry into this area.
“Over the past day, the IDF has struck around 300 targets, including Hamas anti-tank missile launchers and underground rocket launchers. In addition, we have neutralized enemy tunnels deep underground,” the IDF statement said.
According to Israel, Hamas also fought back against IDF attacks with anti-tank missiles and machine guns.
Israeli tanks drive into a residential area in the northern Gaza Strip on October 31. (Photo: Reuters)
Witnesses said Israeli forces were trying to gain control of the main road linking northern and southern Gaza after moving tanks close to the outskirts of Gaza City.
According to Israeli media, many hostages held by Hamas are in tunnels, which will cause many difficulties when the IDF uses force to enter this tunnel system.
Also on October 31, the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said it clashed with Israeli forces advancing into southern Gaza, claiming to have destroyed four IDF armored vehicles with al-Yassin 105 anti-tank missiles.
Al-Qassam also carried out additional missile attacks on Israeli tanks and armored vehicles in northwestern Gaza.
As of October 30, Gaza Health Authority said 8,306 people, including 3,457 minors, had been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7. United Nations officials say more than 1.4 million of Gaza's approximately 2.3 million civilians have been displaced by the airstrikes.
The rising death toll in Gaza has prompted the US to call on Israel for a temporary ceasefire, with other countries and the United Nations demanding a pause in fighting to allow more humanitarian aid to reach the area.
However, in a statement late on October 30, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the proposal from the US and the United Nations and affirmed that it would only stop when Hamas was eliminated.
"The call for a ceasefire is a call for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism. That will not happen," Netanyahu said in a televised speech.
Military experts say Israeli forces are taking the ground offensive slowly, partly to leave open the possibility that Hamas militants will negotiate the release of the hostages.
Israel's cautious strategy is likely to be to hold on to the newly controlled territory after the first days of the ground campaign, while the IDF continues to bomb the rest of Gaza.
Tra Khanh (Source: Reuters)
Source
Comment (0)