We’re preparing for a ground invasion… and I won’t go into details

Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement Wednesday that Israel was preparing to launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip, but declined to provide details on the timing of the operation or any other information.

He added that the decision on when forces will enter the besieged Palestinian Strip will be made by the Council of War Ministers. Netanyahu acknowledged that he had to provide “answers” about the gaps related to the Hamas attack.

He added: “We are doing everything we can to return the hostages to their homes.” He said: “Gaza civilians should move to the south of the Strip.”

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

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 the threats facing American forces are a source of grave concern.

As for the hostages, the Israeli government said Wednesday that more than half of the hostages, some 220 hostages held by Hamas, hold foreign passports from 25 different countries, including 54 Thai citizens.

In an update to the numbers, the government also said that 328 people from 40 countries were confirmed dead or missing after the surprise attack launched by Hamas fighters on October 7 in southern Israel. The total number of victims of the attack was approximately 1,400 people.

Israel said 138 of the hostages had foreign passports, including 15 Argentines, 12 Germans, 12 Americans, six French and six Russians.

Many of them are believed to have dual Israeli citizenship, but some, such as the two Thais and the five Nepalese hostages, almost certainly do not hold Israeli citizenship. There is also one Chinese hostage, one from Sri Lanka, two from Tanzania and two from the Philippines.

Other foreign countries that suffered heavy losses include the United States, with 34 dead and five missing, Ukraine, with 25 dead and two missing, France, with 23 dead and one missing, and Russia, with 23 dead and four missing missing.

Five Chinese citizens were killed and another is missing, while five Nepalese citizens were killed and another is missing.

Read also