- This is a breaking news story, more to come
Israeli warplanes tonight unleashed air strikes of ‘unprecedented’ intensity across all parts of the Gaza Strip.
The airstrike, which observers described as much heavier and louder than previous days, coincided with electricity and communications disruptions across much of the besieged enclave, raising fears that a full-scale Israeli ground invasion was imminent.
According to one report, the Israelis even unleashed “bunker buster” concussion rockets in an attempt to destroy the extensive Hamas tunnel network under Gaza.
The Israeli army appears to have confirmed the reports. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference today: “In recent hours we have stepped up attacks in Gaza. The air force is attacking underground targets and terrorist infrastructure on a large scale, in a very significant manner.
“Following the offensive activity we have carried out in recent days, the ground forces are expanding ground activity this evening.”
Israel has stepped up its bombing campaign against Gaza
The Hamas government said Israel has severed “communications and most of the internet” in the Gaza Strip as a result of the increased bombing.
Hamas’ media office accused Israel of taking the measure “to commit massacres with bloody reprisal attacks from the air, land and sea,” as heavy attacks hit northern Gaza.
The Palestinian Red Crescent, the main relief agency in Gaza, said it was cut off from its operations room in the Gaza Strip due to the internet outage.
Palestinian telecom provider Jawwal announced “the total reduction of all communications services and internet” in the area.
Global internet monitor NetBlocks reported “a collapse in connectivity in the Gaza Strip with major consequences for Paltel,” the owner of Jawwal, citing live network data.
“The company is the last remaining major operator providing services as connectivity declines amid ongoing fighting with Israel,” wrote NetBlocks on X, formerly Twitter.
The IDF said tonight that it was expanding its bombing campaign against Gaza, and was “working vigorously in all dimensions” to achieve its military goals.
A report in Cairo News, quoting Israeli sources, described it as “the beginning of the comprehensive ground attack on the Gaza Strip,” adding: “#Solidarity with Palestine.”
At the same time, Hamas fired salvo after salvo of rockets into Israel.
The new wave of violence came as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urgently called for more aid deliveries from Egypt to Gaza.
“The humanitarian system in Gaza is facing a total collapse with unimaginable consequences for more than two million civilians,” Guterres said in a statement.
The Palestinian death toll passed 7,300 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas disaster in southern Israel on October 7.
The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which keeps track of the tolls, released a detailed list Thursday, including names and ID numbers.
More than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank since the war began three weeks ago.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians, in the first Hamas attack.
In addition, 229 people, including foreigners, children and older adults, were taken by Hamas during the raid and remain in captivity in Gaza. Four hostages have been released so far.
More to follow.