Israel-Palestine Update: Ground Offensive latest

The latest from the Israel-Palestine conflict, including the status of the Israeli ground offensive into Gaza.

For previous updates, see:

7th October 2023 - Hamas launches attack on Israel

8th October 2023 - Hamas attack update and Israel's response

9th October 2023 - What's happened and what comes next in the conflict?

12th October 2023 - Video Briefing: a recap of the escalation and analysing a potential ground invasion of Gaza

30th October 2023 - Israel's ground incursions and further updates from the conflict

Following the Israeli Defence Forces incursions on 27th October into the Gaza Strip, the IDF has now announced it has successfully surrounded Gaza city. IDF appear to be pursuing a drawn-out campaign in order to complete their aim of destroying Hamas. Fighting has continued throughout with the most intense clashes being reported around Beit Hanoun area in the northeast part of the Gaza Strip, and the Zaytoun area south of the city.

Hamas have countered the strength of the IDF Merkava tanks and other armour with their self-produced Yassin 105mm rockets with seven IDF soldiers killed and four wounded in one incident alone. Video footage shows Hamas tactics of exiting tunnels as tanks are nearby, then placing IEDs onto the tank and detonating them. Hamas operatives then withdraw to a safer distance and then launch the Yassin missiles before later withdrawing into the tunnels once again. At time of writing 24 IDF soldiers have been killed since the beginning of ground operations in Gaza, the number of Hamas operatives is unknown but Israeli military estimates the numbers to be in the hundreds.

IDF have started closing tunnel entrances in the areas they control with the stated aim of trapping Hamas within their own tunnels. By refusing fuel to Gaza, Israel aims to thwart lighting and ventilation systems in the tunnels. As a result of this more hospitals in Gaza have been affected with the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia being the latest hospital to warn its ability to treat patients is being hampered. The hospital is now relying on a small backup generator. Lights, oxygen generators and mortuary refrigerators have been turned off.

Israeli airstrikes have continued throughout with the areas of Jabalia and Bureij being repeatedly targeted. Large amounts of Jabalia camp were destroyed with a large number of civilian casualties reported when Israel targeted a Hamas commander in charge of the Nukhba forces there on 31st October. Images of impact craters suggest that Israel may have been attempting to destroy tunnel networks under the camp.

Violence continues in the West Bank with fatalities being common during Israeli raids on Palestinian towns. Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in Jenin occur regularly in Jenin with drones being used to target Palestinian groups there.

Attacks continue on the Lebanese border in largely the same locations with around 50 Hezbollah fighters now announced to have been killed. Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is due to make his first speech regarding the conflict on the 3rd November. There are unverified reports that the experienced Iranian Imam Hussein Brigade is now present in southern Lebanon to bolster Hezbollah.

Another Iranian ally, the Houthi movement have announced their participation in the conflict and have fired a variety of missiles directed at the southern Israeli city of Eilat. These missiles and drones were either successfully intercepted by the IDF or landed in neighbouring countries with six wounded when a drone struck the Egyptian resort town of Taba on the 27th of October. These attacks will likely continue with Israel bolstering its defence with a missile boat deployed to the Red Sea.

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