Israel Has Launched A Ground Invasion Of The Gaza Strip
More to come.
Backed by air support, tanks and artillery, Israel has launched a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip after a five-hour “humanitarian truce” ended overnight.
BREAKING NEWS: A large IDF force has just launched a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. A new phase of Operation Protective Edge has begun.
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) July 17, 2014
Journalists and Gazans on Twitter are reporting that rockets and shells are landing in Gazan territory. You can watch a livestream below:
WATCH: the attack on Gaza live here, you can see all the bombs dropping and hear the warplanes… http://t.co/QdAudnsMEn #GazaUnderAttack
— فلسطين i (@iFalasteen) July 17, 2014
The ground assault marks a severe increase in Operation Protective Edge, the campaign started by Israel in response to increased rocket attacks from within the Gaza Strip. Yesterday Israeli media reported that soldiers foiled an attempt by thirteen Hamas militants to cross into Israel via an underground tunnel. More than 230 Palestinians and one Israeli have died since Israel launched Operation Protective Edge ten days ago.
CNN is reporting that groups of Israelis are gathered on hills overlooking the Strip to watch the bombardment, cheering and clapping as the rockets fall.
The invasion comes two days after four Palestinian children were killed by Israeli shelling while playing on a Gaza City beach. NBC reporter Ayman Mohyeldin reported on the children’s deaths shortly after playing soccer with them.
4 Palestinian kids killed in a single Israeli airstrike. Minutes before they were killed by our hotel, I was kicking a ball with them #gaza
— Ayman Mohyeldin (@AymanM) July 16, 2014
#Gaza Victims 1) Ahed Atef Bakr 10 yrs old 2) Zakaria Ahed Bakr 10 yrs old 3) Mohamed Ramez Bakr 11 yrs old 4) Ismael Mohamed Bakr 9 yrs old
— Ayman Mohyeldin (@AymanM) July 16, 2014
More to come.
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Feature image via Time/AP.