Israel launched a ground operation in the Gaza Strip

The IDF announced a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. “Surface phase begins after ten days of attacks,” Hamas “on Israel by land, sea and air, and his failure to stop the escalation,” – said the press service of the IDF through Twitter .

Gave the corresponding order on Thursday evening, July 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.According to the approved plan, it is an operation of limited scope, the purpose of which – the elimination of the threat posed by tunnels leading from Gaza into Israel.

Entry of Israeli troops into the Gaza preceded by a massive artillery barrage and air strikes and sea targets in the Palestinian enclave, ITAR-TASS reported.

In an operation involving a large force of infantry, engineer troops, armored units. It is supported by intelligence from the air and sea.

Right after the Israeli troops in Gaza air raid siren sounded in the Golan Heights.

During the ten days of military operations in the Gaza Strip, Israel several times subjected to rocket attacks from the territory of Syria and Lebanon.

Office of the Prime Minister of Israel reported that at 11:00 MSK Friday, July 18, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a cabinet meeting to discuss the security of the country expanding operations in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, July 16, the management of “Hamas” officially informed Egypt of its decision to abandon the “peace initiative”, providing a complete cease-fire and a return to compliance with the agreement concluded by the end of the operation “a pillar of cloud.” Meanwhile, behind the scenes continuing contacts between the leaders of Egypt and “Hamas”, on the one hand, and Egypt and Israel – on the other, writes NEWSru Israel.

Evening of July 16, Israel agreed to the request of the UN Special Envoy Robert Serry on a five-hour ceasefire for the import of humanitarian supplies to Gaza.At 10 am on July 17, Israel and “Hamas” cease hostilities for five hours. Term of the agreement expired at 16:00 MSK.

One minute before the expiry of the agreement on a temporary cease-fire on the Palestinian side resumed rocket attacks on Israeli territory.

According to the press service of the Israel Defense Forces during the anti-terrorist operation “Enduring rock” in the Gaza Strip were attacked more than 1,500 targets. Including been attacked more than 200 tunnels and bunkers of terrorists, 790 hidden rocket launchers and mines, about 70 training centers, more than 60 weapons warehouses, workshops for the production of missiles and other objects of the terrorist infrastructure. Military sources report that were destroyed about 3,000 rockets (about a third of the arsenal of terrorists in Gaza). According to the latest Ministry of Health of the Gaza Strip since the beginning of operations as a result of IDF attacks killed 214 people, injured about 1,400.

According to the IDF, for the same period (likely to take into account data from July 7, when resumed intensive rocket attacks on Israeli territory) from the Gaza Strip have been issued more than 1,220 missiles, over 900 of them exploded in Israeli territory, more than 220 missiles were shot down missile defense system “Iron Dome”, the rest fell in the Gaza Strip. As a result, an Israeli shelling killed and more than 25 injured.