Netanyahu: Date of ground attack on Gaza will be determined by consensus

Netanyahu said: “The date for the ground invasion will be reached through consensus. We are preparing for a ground invasion and I will not go into details.”

He explained that the decision on the date of entry of forces into the besieged Palestinian Strip will be taken by the Council of War Ministers.

He added: “We are doing everything we can to return the hostages to their homes.”

Netanyahu continued: “We encourage Israeli citizens to bear arms.”

Regarding the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Prime Minister said: “Gaza civilians should move south of the Strip.”

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing American and Israeli officials, that Israel had agreed to postpone the ground attack on Gaza so Washington could quickly send missile defenses to the region.

The newspaper article states that Israel also takes into account efforts to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, in addition to diplomatic efforts to free hostages held by Hamas.

He added that threats to American forces are of grave concern.

The U.S. military and other officials believe their forces will be targeted by armed groups once the invasion of Hamas-run Palestinian territories begins.

The newspaper reported that the United States is rushing to deploy about 10 air defense systems to the region.

Reuters reported on Monday that Washington advised Israel to refrain from any ground attacks on the Gaza Strip as it seeks to free more hostages and prepares for the possibility of an expanding conflict in the Middle East.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to “destroy Hamas” after the October 7 surprise attack.

For days, the Israeli army has been preparing for a ground invasion in Gaza after its planes launched the most violent raids on the Strip, underlining that it has given more than one order to residents of northern Gaza to move south .