Israeli military says its ground forces are expanding activity in Gaza

The Israeli military said its ground forces will expand their activities in Gaza on Friday night. The announcement came hours after Israeli forces conducted a second ground raid as many days and after Israel’s defence minister said the country expects to launch a long and difficult ground invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory.

The development also came after internet service in the Gaza Strip was cut, following a heavy round of Israeli airstrikes that lit up the night sky over the darkened territory.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s spokesman, said aerial attacks had been targeting Hamas tunnels and other targets.

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“In addition to the attacks that we carried out in recent days, ground forces are expanding their activity this evening,” he said. “The IDF is acting with great force ... to achieve the objectives of the war.”

The Palestinian death toll passed 7,300 as Israel launched waves of airstrikes in response to the bloody Hamas rampage in southern Israel on October 7. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which tracks the toll, released a detailed list, including names and ID numbers on Thursday. In the occupied West Bank, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids since the war's start three weeks ago.

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More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. In addition, 229 people — including foreigners, children and older adults — were taken by Hamas during the incursion and remain in captivity in Gaza. Four hostages were released earlier.

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