Nearly a day after #Israel embarked upon its most extensive #ground operation in the #Gaza Strip in 3 wks, Israeli Defense Minister #YoavGallant said Sat that his military has “completed a phase in the war,” & will continue its expanded ground activity in the Gaza Strip until further notice.

#Hamas #war #terrorism #LawsOfWar #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #HumanitarianCrisis
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/10/28/israel-war-hamas-gaza-news-palestine/

Israeli aircraft also unleashed a punishing bombardment of #Gaza, dropping powerful munitions to destroy underground targets. The #Palestinian enclave faced a “total or near total” internet #blackout, acc/to internet monitoring groups, as the #WHO said it was impossible to #evacuate patients under the #bombardment & ambulances were unable to reach the injured in the blackout.

#Israel #Hamas #war #terrorism #LawsOfWar #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #HumanitarianCrisis

The Defense Min has not described the activity as the start of the sustained #ground offensive, but Gallant said that “this activity will continue until a new order” is issued.

In a social media video, #IDF spox Daniel Hagari renewed #Israel’s warning for people in #Gaza to move south during the expanded ground operations.

Hagari noted that “moving back to northern Gaza will be possible once the intense hostilities end.”

#Hamas #war #LawsOfWar #InternationalHumanitarianLaw #HumanitarianCrisis

Several int’l #aid orgs & #UN agencies expressed their concern for colleagues in #Gaza, after losing contact as a result of the communications #blackout. #Reporters for WaPo & other outlets said they had lost contact w/ #journalists inside Gaza.

The families of Israeli #hostages held in the Gaza Strip have expressed fear for the fate of their relatives amid #Israel’s #ground ops, & frustration they have not been kept informed. Gallant said he would meet them on Sun.

#Hamas #HumanitarianCrisis