The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, reported ground fighting with the Israeli army in two sectors of the Gaza Strip after Israel announced an increase in ground operations on Friday night, although it later clarified that it was not full-scale. a large-scale offensive, reports The Times of Israel, citing News.ro.

“We faced Israeli ground incursions in Beit Hanoun (north) and al-Burej (center). Fierce fighting continues,” Hamas said in a press release.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is expanding its ground operations in the Gaza Strip from Friday night into Saturday, a military spokesman said.

“We have intensified attacks in Gaza in recent hours,” the IDF said in a statement. “The Air Force is attacking underground targets and terrorist infrastructure on a large scale, very seriously. In continuation of the offensive activity that we have conducted in recent days, the ground forces are expanding their ground activity this evening,” the Israeli army said.

In addition, the IDF (Israeli army) told the international news agencies Reuters and Agence France-Presse that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists working in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing hostilities, Reuters reported.

“The Israeli Defense Forces are targeting all of Hamas’ military activities throughout the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military said, adding that Hamas deliberately conducts its military operations “close to journalists and civilians.”

An anonymous US source later told ABC News that Friday night’s operation in Gaza was limited. And IDF spokesman Peter Lerner confirmed on the same TV station that the current action is not a major operation as expected.

Asked if troops had launched a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip overnight Friday into Saturday, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Peter Lerner told ABC News:

“We carry out our cleaning and sanitizing work to create better conditions for optimal field work. That’s why we look for anti-tank capabilities, destroy observation posts and target terrorists where we find them, on the front lines or on the outskirts of the Gaza Strip,” he continued, saying the troops “were carrying out these actions.” ” for “several days” but could not provide details due to “operational issues”.

“We intend to dismantle their capabilities, destroy their government and ensure that they can never again use the Gaza Strip as a training ground against our people,” Lerner said. (News.ro)