On the fourth day of the Gaza war, heavy airstrikes have continued throughout the Gaza Strip, revealing the widespread destruction as IDF soldiers prepare for what appears to be an inevitable full-scale infantry operation within Gaza.
In light of the ongoing large-scale military operation against Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, the IDF has advised Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to evacuate to Egypt due to the continued airstrikes. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, the chief military spokesman for foreign media, stated in a press briefing, "I am aware that the Rafah crossing (on the Gaza-Egypt border) is still open. I would advise anyone who can to get out."
New footage of Hamas terrorists entering Kibbutz Kissufim in Israel. The very first thing they did was open fire on a pet Labrador retriever dog that comes to greet them. They then proceeded to ransack the homes and set them on fire. pic.twitter.com/YT6MuJeXGa
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) October 10, 2023
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that since the beginning of the war, 704 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, and over 4,000 have been injured. According to Ashraf Al-Qadara, the spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 15% of the casualties are children and women. Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel has risen to over 900, with approximately 2,500 injured, and an estimated 100-150 civilians, including women, children, soldiers, and others, have been taken hostage.
According to a report by The Washington Post, it is estimated that Hamas had been planning the surprise attack on Israel for over a year and received support from Iran, including military training, logistical assistance, and weapons valued in the millions of dollars. This information is based on statements from intelligence officials, both past and present, in the Western and Middle Eastern regions.
In a morning briefing, IDF spokesman Brigadier General Daniel Hagari stated, "We are dropping hundreds of tons of bombs on Hamas and conducting wave after wave of attacks to eliminate them in the Strip." He also mentioned that the IDF has gained control of the surrounding area of the Gaza Strip and is actively clearing it. Additionally, the 51st Golani Battalion successfully engaged a terrorist at the Sa’ad junction last night.
Mor’s grandmother was slaughtered by Hamas terrorists. She found out about it when the Hamas terrorist used her grandma’s Facebook to livestream his barbaric act 💔 pic.twitter.com/5UMKVmGz9F
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) October 9, 2023
Furthermore, Hagari reported, "Last night in the upscale Rimal neighborhood, we neutralized all terrorist assets. Around 11:00 PM, we targeted hundreds of locations in Khan Yunis, including terrorist apartments and gathering points. We repeatedly attacked the launching positions of the Hamas naval force with the navy."
Brigadier General Daniel Hagari also noted that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi had a conversation with his American counterpart, General Charles Brown, for the first time last night. General Brown expressed his support for Israel, and the United States is providing significant assistance, including intelligence coordination across all theaters of war and operational coordination with United States Central Command forces. American assets have been deployed, including ships capable of protecting and carrying aircraft, enhancing deterrence in distant theaters of conflict.
