IOF spox denies the expanded operations are official ground invasion

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + News websites
28 Oct 2023 00:51
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Two Egyptian officials have speculated that Israeli escalation of airstrikes might be a tactic to exert pressure on the Palestinian Resistance.

Explosions caused by Israeli airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 27, 2023 (AP)

According to a US official speaking to ABC News, the Israelis have initiated a restricted military operation and have allegedly consented to offer humanitarian assistance alongside this action.

CBS News reported that the extent of the expanded activity was unclear, but two US officials told the US network that this appears to be a rolling start to the ground invasion.

This comes after Israeli occupation forces Spokesperson Peter Lerner claimed in an interview for ABC News that the expanded operations are not the anticipated official ground invasion.

Meanwhile, several regions across the Strip suffered from complete internet outage, while its largest communications service provider announced that it had shut down all operations across Gaza after Israeli war jets destroyed the company's remaining infrastructure

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that tonight witnessed the most violent strikes on Gaza since October 7, confirming that attacks are being carried out through air, land, and sea. Our correspondent noted that Central Gaza is being targeted as well after attacks in the previous days were concentrated north of the Strip.

Meanwhile, a report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance were in ongoing indirect negotiations on Friday, exploring the possibility of a "hostage-release deal", according to sources familiar with the discussions. These talks took place before "Israel" escalated its airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

During the mediated negotiations led by Qatar and Egypt, Hamas requested a ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid, including fuel, to Gaza in exchange for the release of certain non-military hostages, as per the officials.

Earlier today, Israeli media reported that Israeli occupation forces informed 229 families that their sons were captured by the Palestinian Resistance movement, Hamas, and are currently in the Gaza Strip, noting that the number of captured occupation soldiers is anticipated to rise.

Furthermore, Israeli media added that the IOF had informed the settler families of the death of 310 occupation soldiers since the beginning of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

Subsequently, two Egyptian officials speculated that Israeli escalation of airstrikes might be a tactic to exert pressure on the Palestinian Resistance to make concessions in the negotiations to release the Israeli captives. A previous round of talks failed when "Israel" declined to approve fuel shipments to Gaza out of claims that it could be allegedly utilized by the Palestinian Resistance, most notably Hamas.