Israel preparing for ground operations ‘if decided’: IDF

The Israeli military said Thursday it is preparing for ground operations should the political leaders order one — a move that would likely escalate the ongoing battle with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, the international spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), told the media forces “are preparing for a ground maneuver if decided,” according to The Associated Press.

This comes after Hamas, the group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a multi-pronged surprise attack on Israel over the weekend, invading multiple Israeli towns by land, sea and air, along with a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Immediately following the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas, vowing to avenge the attack and destroy the group. Since then, Israeli forces have launched hundreds of strikes into the Gaza Strip prompting the evacuation of dozens of towns in the region.

The conflict has already claimed more than 2,500 lives from both sides, including at least 22 Americans.

The Israeli military said more than 1,200 Israelis — including civilians and soldiers — have been killed, with another 3,000 wounded as of Thursday. In Gaza, an estimated 1,354 Palestinians have died and 6,049 others were injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

In addition to ongoing airstrikes, Israel ordered a total siege on the Gaza Strip, halting food, water and electricity supplies to the territory that is home to an estimated 2.3 million people.

Between the suspension of resources and the destruction of several neighborhoods in Gaza, more than 200,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes and take shelter elsewhere, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

While condemning the violence perpetrated by Hamas, the U.N. has also voiced concerns over the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza, who were already facing dwindling resource supplies before the conflict.