According to a retired general, Israel will not send troops into the Hamas tunnels under any circumstances. Yair Golan, former deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), stated that the tunnel network would be a “death trap” for the IDF if they were to enter. The tunnels were initially built by Hamas almost twenty years ago to bring goods into the besieged enclave, but have since been used for military purposes. Reserve Maj Gen Golan suggested sealing the entrances or using smoke to force the enemy out of the tunnels.
Footage released by the IDF showed troops engaged in street battles, with tanks firing in urban areas and soldiers taking cover in buildings. Reports indicated that IDF troops engaged an elite Hamas unit, but no Israeli casualties were reported. Lt Col Salman Habka, who was involved in saving children during a previous attack, was reported killed in the fighting.
Meanwhile, an IDF spokesman confirmed that the ground operation was proceeding as planned. Rear Adm Daniel Hagari stated that the troops were toppling Hamas’s defense lines in the northern Gaza Strip and taking over central areas. He also mentioned that their actions were intensifying according to the objectives and plan they had set for themselves.
Social media posts from Gaza suggested that the IDF was advancing deeper into the Strip towards the Mediterranean Sea coast. Open source data indicated that the troops could be just a few kilometers away from cutting off the north of Gaza. Additionally, Israeli forces were seen making advances along the Gaza border, fueling speculation that a buffer zone might be established there.
