Israel prepares Ground Operation in Gaza, NATO insists on "Proportionate Response”

The Israeli army announced today that it is preparing a ground operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, but the country's political leaders have not yet made a decision on the matter, AFP reported.

"We're waiting to see what our political leadership's decision is about a potential ground offensive", Army spokesman Richard Hecht told reporters.

The army has deployed tens of thousands of fighters along the border with the Palestinian enclave as it continues devastating airstrikes against targets in Gaza.

Meanwhile, NATO countries told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that they stand with Israel after the October 7 Hamas attack that killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and around 1,200 Palestinians. But the Alliance is calling on Israel to respond "proportionately".

Gallant briefed his pact colleagues on the situation via video link.

"Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO condemns the terrorist attacks in the strongest terms and added that 'Israel is not alone,'" the alliance said in a statement:

"Allies expressed solidarity with Israel, which has the right to defend itself proportionately against these unjustified acts of terror."

Israel will not lift the total siege imposed on the Gaza Strip until Hamas releases all the people taken hostage in Saturday's attack by the Palestinian group. This was announced by the Israeli government and added that until this happens, the residents of the enclave will continue to be without access to electricity, water and fuel.

Massive airstrikes against the Strip continue, the Israeli army is also preparing to storm the tunnels used by Hamas fighters in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leaders have spoken with one voice and together vowed to "wipe Hamas off the face of the earth". After former political opponents united in the face of the threat and formed a military cabinet, Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a televised address that "the fate of the state is at stake."

"The citizens of Israel are united, now their government is united. We are fighting against a cruel enemy, more terrible than the Islamic State. We have seen girls and boys shot in the head, men and women burned alive, young women raped, soldiers are beheaded. Every member of Hamas is dead," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Until recently, Netanyahu's staunch political opponent and leader of the centrist opposition party, Benny Gantz, accepted the rulers' invitation to join the military cabinet. During the short time that the opposition was in power in Israel, Gantz held the post of defense minister.

"Right now, we are all soldiers in Israel. It's time to be united and win," added Benny Gantz, former defense minister and opposition leader.

The newly formed coalition will not make any management decisions that are not related to the war between Israel and Hamas.

The mobilization of reservists continues - nearly 400 thousand people have already joined the ranks of the Israeli army. A large-scale ground offensive is expected to begin in the Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv's claim is that it will avenge Saturday's attack on civilians by the Palestinian group.

The Israeli army has confirmed that Hamas fighters have beheaded babies (not confirmed by independeted sources). The monstrous act was reported in Kibbutz Be'eri - less than 5 km away from the border with the Gaza Strip - one of the first settlements attacked by the Palestinians. There alone, over 100 Israelis were killed. Hostages were also taken.

"My son was kidnapped. He should be 16 in two weeks. Terrorists broke into my husband's house, took him, my son and another boy. I don't know where they are, we pray the world will help us," commented a resident of Kibbutz Be'eri.

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