IDF hints at starting of ground offensive, says war not against people

In a clear indication of a possible ground offensive, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) on Sunday said that it is prepared to counter Hamas with an "even greater force".

IDF, however, clearly stated that its war was against terror group Hamas and not against the people of Gaza.

"Hamas has shown the world time and time again what they are capable of. Now the IDF is prepared to counter with an even greater force. There is no place in the world for terrorism," the IDF posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The IDF shared a video showing multiple incidents of Hamas offensive and attacks against Israel. It mentioned the first and second intifada, Hamas overthrowing Fatah from Gaza, the rocket attack on Israel in 2021, and the October 7 attack where the terror group "invaded Israel, massacred and abducted civilians".

The text in the video further reads, "Hamas leaves us no choice. We must destroy Hamas to defend Israel".

The IDF has also called on the people of the Northern Gaza Strip to relocate to the southern part of the enclave using evacuation corridors.

In a video message, IDF International Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Richard Hecht stated, "The IDF is calling for the people of Gaza to evacuate to southern Gaza for their safety. Israel and Hamas are at war...".

He further stated that the IDF is responsible for defending the people of Israel and their war is "not against the people" of Gaza.

"That's why we are operating to eliminate Gaza. Our war is not with the people of Gaza. In stark contrast to Hamas' war crimes, we are calling on the residents of Gaza city to evacuate southwards for their own safety," Hecht said.

He added, "Hamas is responsible for the people of Gaza, we are responsible for defending the people of Israel".

In a major escalation on October 7, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country.

According to the latest updates, at least 1300 people have lost their lives and over 3000 have been injured in the Hamas terror attacks on Israel. The IDF has confirmed that over 120 civilians are being held captive in Gaza by the Hamas terrorist organization.

Earlier in the day, the military forensic teams in Israel also examined the bodies of victims of last week's Hamas attack on communities around the Gaza Strip and found multiple signs of torture, rape, and other atrocities, the Jerusalem Post reported.