Israel Announces Start of Third Phase of Ground Operation in Gaza Strip

The Israeli army has entered the third phase of its ground operation in the Gaza Strip and is currently surrounding Khan Younis, the largest city in the southern part of the enclave. This was announced by the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Herzi Halevi, as reported by TASS.

“Sixty days after the start of the war, our forces are now encircling the Khan Younis region in the south of the Gaza Strip. At the same time, we continue to strengthen our gains in the north of the Gaza Strip,” he noted, adding, “We have moved into the third phase of the ground operation. We have captured many Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip, and we are now operating against their positions in the south.”

The Chief of Staff emphasized that the Israeli army quickly resumed military operations in the enclave immediately after the humanitarian pause established for the release of hostages. “Those who thought that the Israel Defense Forces would not know how to resume fighting after the pause were mistaken, and Hamas is already feeling it. In recent days, many Hamas militants have been eliminated, including senior commanders,” he added.