On the morning of October 7, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, launched a comprehensive attack on Israel called the "Aqsa Flood".
The Israeli army also launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip.
"THE SECOND PHASE OF THE OPERATION HAS BEGUN"
In a press conference, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that the second phase of the operation has begun after intensified airstrikes last night.
Stating that Israel's goal is clear, Netanyahu said, "Our goal is to destroy Hamas' military and administrative units and return the hostages to their homes."
Emphasizing that the decision to launch the ground operation was taken unanimously by the war cabinet and the security cabinet, Netanyahu said, "Our commanders and soldiers know that the Israelis are behind them."
MESSAGE TO ALLIES
Netanyahu quoted the Bible, recalling the events between the Amalekites and the Israelites: "We remember and we fight. Our only goal is to defeat Hamas and ensure our presence in our land."
Stating that Israel is fighting for all humanity, Netanyahu said, "Our allies in the West and in the Arab world know that if we don't win, they will be next."
Referring to the visits of the leaders of the US, Britain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and other countries, Netanyahu said, "They brought a clear message. They said, "We support you and we are waiting for your victory.
Netanyahu said that the operations in the Gaza Strip will be long and difficult, adding, "The first stage is to organize a major air campaign to help our ground forces get in safely."
"We are the ones who will win," Netanyahu said, adding, "We are only at the beginning of the road."
ISRAEL: NEW PHASE IN THE WAR
In a video message, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said that 3 weeks have passed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that the war has "entered a new phase".
In his first statement following the Israeli army's announcement that it would "expand the activities of ground troops", Halevi said that Israeli troops were conducting "ground operations" in the Gaza Strip.
Halevi said that the ground operation was necessary to defeat Hamas and retrieve prisoners in Gaza.
Netanyahu's message to his allies: If we don't win, you're next (Day 23 of the Israel-Hamas conflict)
"COMMUNICATION AND INTERNET GRADUALLY RETURNED"
Palestinian telecommunications company Jawwal posted a statement on its X social media account, stating that communications and internet, which had been cut since October 27 due to Israel's violent attacks, are gradually returning.
"Regarding the internal network in the Gaza Strip, despite the seriousness of the situation on the ground, the technical teams are doing everything in their power to repair the damage to the network as much as possible within the current capabilities," the statement said.
