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| Israel’s military says ground troops have begun to attack in Gaza – follow updates | Israel’s military says ground troops have begun to attack in Gaza – follow updates |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Latest news as IDF confirm ground troops attacking in Gaza Strip. It is not yet clear whether the operation is a full-scale invasion | Latest news as IDF confirm ground troops attacking in Gaza Strip. It is not yet clear whether the operation is a full-scale invasion |
| Again, there is still confusion over whether this escalation signals the launch of a full-scale ground invasion of Gaza by Israel. | |
| Journalist Anshel Pfeffer, who reports for Haaretz and the Economist, tweeted: | |
| This week’s violence between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers has killed 103 Palestinians, including 27 children, and wounded 530 people in the impoverished territory. Israeli airstrikes have pounded apartments, blown up cars and toppled buildings, the Associated Press reports. And Gaza’s hospitals were already struggling: | |
| “Before the military attacks, we had major shortages and could barely manage with the second (virus) wave,” said Gaza Health Ministry official Abdelatif al-Hajj by phone as bombs thundered in the background. “Now casualties are coming from all directions, really critical casualties. I fear a total collapse.”Gutted by years of conflict, the impoverished health care system in the territory of more than 2 million people has always been vulnerable. Bitter division between Hamas and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority and a nearly 14-year blockade imposed by Israel with Egypt’s help also has strangled the infrastructure. There are shortages of equipment and supplies such as blood bags, surgical lamps, anaesthesia and antibiotics. Personal protection gear, breathing machines and oxygen tanks remain even scarcer.Last month, Gaza’s daily coronavirus cases and deaths hit record highs, fuelled by the spread of a variant that first appeared in Britain, relaxation of movement restrictions during Ramadan, and deepening public apathy and intransigence. | |
| On Thursday, the US Defence Department flew about 120 personnel out of Israel as a precaution in light of the ongoing violence there, AP reported, citing Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, who said the American personnel departed on Thursday on a US Air Force C-17 transport plane.They had been in Israel to plan for a future bilateral exercise. Kirby said the conference was scheduled to end this week but the exit was accelerated by a few days. | |
| The response to that decision to meet in two days’ time, rather than immediately – from the Guardian’s world affairs editor, Julian Borger: | The response to that decision to meet in two days’ time, rather than immediately – from the Guardian’s world affairs editor, Julian Borger: |
| US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has just tweeted that the UN Security Council will meet on Sunday to “to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza”. | US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has just tweeted that the UN Security Council will meet on Sunday to “to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza”. |
| She added: “The US will continue to actively engage in diplomacy at the highest levels to try to de-escalate tensions.” | She added: “The US will continue to actively engage in diplomacy at the highest levels to try to de-escalate tensions.” |
| Here is what it is like in Gaza at the moment, per a report from the Associated Press: | Here is what it is like in Gaza at the moment, per a report from the Associated Press: |
| “Masses of red flames illuminated the skies as the deafening blasts from the outskirts of Gaza City jolted people awake. The strikes were so strong that people inside the city, several kilometres away, could be heard screaming in fear.” | “Masses of red flames illuminated the skies as the deafening blasts from the outskirts of Gaza City jolted people awake. The strikes were so strong that people inside the city, several kilometres away, could be heard screaming in fear.” |
| Army spokesman Jonathan Conricus confirmed that Israeli soldiers had entered the Palestinian enclave, without giving any numbers, AFP reports. | Army spokesman Jonathan Conricus confirmed that Israeli soldiers had entered the Palestinian enclave, without giving any numbers, AFP reports. |
| But Reuters are far more circumspect, reporting: | But Reuters are far more circumspect, reporting: |
| Although the statement gave no further details, Israeli military affairs correspondents who are briefed regularly by the armed forces said it was not a ground invasion, and that troops were firing artillery from Israel’s side of the border. | Although the statement gave no further details, Israeli military affairs correspondents who are briefed regularly by the armed forces said it was not a ground invasion, and that troops were firing artillery from Israel’s side of the border. |
| Residents of northern Gaza, near the Israeli frontier, said they had seen no sign of ground troops inside the enclave but reported heavy artillery fire and dozens of air strikes. | Residents of northern Gaza, near the Israeli frontier, said they had seen no sign of ground troops inside the enclave but reported heavy artillery fire and dozens of air strikes. |
| It is not yet clear whether the operation is a full-scale invasion of Gaza by Israel, or is at this stage a targeted attack on military group strongholds. | It is not yet clear whether the operation is a full-scale invasion of Gaza by Israel, or is at this stage a targeted attack on military group strongholds. |
| It is currently just after 1am in Gaza on Friday, 14 May. | |
| What we know so far is that an hour ago, as we saw in that earlier post, the Israeli Defence Force tweeted, “IDF air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip”. | |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew a few minutes later: | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew a few minutes later: |
| This is just in from the Guardian’s Jerusalem correspondent, Oliver Holmes: | This is just in from the Guardian’s Jerusalem correspondent, Oliver Holmes: |
| Hi, Helen Sullivan joining you now. | Hi, Helen Sullivan joining you now. |
| I will be bringing you developments in this story as they happen. Please do send any news you think we may have missed to helen.sullivan@theguardian.com or to me on Twitter @helenrsullivan. | I will be bringing you developments in this story as they happen. Please do send any news you think we may have missed to helen.sullivan@theguardian.com or to me on Twitter @helenrsullivan. |
| Israel’s military has said “ground troops” have begun attacking in the Gaza strip, following days of airstrikes and prompting fears of a ground invasion. | Israel’s military has said “ground troops” have begun attacking in the Gaza strip, following days of airstrikes and prompting fears of a ground invasion. |
| “[Israel Defense Forces] air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement just after midnight local time, without providing further details. | “[Israel Defense Forces] air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip,” the military said in a statement just after midnight local time, without providing further details. |
| Shortly after, in an apparent reference to the operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted: “The last word was not said and this operation will continue as long as necessary.” | Shortly after, in an apparent reference to the operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted: “The last word was not said and this operation will continue as long as necessary.” |