Israeli defence minister says Gaza operation to continue until new order

Israel-Hamas War: Israel expanded its ground operation in Gaza, sending in tanks and infantry backed by massive strikes from the air and sea.

Israeli forces will continue operations begun overnight in the Gaza Strip, targeting tunnels and other infrastructure of Hamas as well as leaders of the Islamist movement, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday.

Israel-Hamas War: An antenna of a communications tower that relays phone and internet signals is pictured in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. (AFP)

"We attacked above the ground and under ground, we attacked terror operatives of all ranks, everywhere," he said in a video statement. “The instructions for the forces are clear: the operation will continue until a new order.”

Israel on Saturday expanded its ground operation in Gaza, sending in tanks and infantry backed by massive strikes from the air and sea. Israel's defense minister said that “the ground shook in Gaza” and that the war against the territory's Hamas rulers entered a new stage.

The bombardment, described by Gaza residents as the most intense of the war, also knocked out most communications in Gaza. This largely cut off the besieged enclave’s 2.3 million people from the world, while enabling the Israeli military to control the narrative in a new stage of fighting.

The military released grainy images Saturday showing tank columns moving slowly in open areas of Gaza, many apparently near the border, and said warplanes bombed dozens of Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers. The underground sites are a key target in Israel's campaign to crush the territory’s ruling group after its bloody incursion in Israel three weeks ago.

“We moved to the next stage in the war," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in remarks broadcast Saturday. "Last evening, the ground shook in Gaza. We attacked above ground and underground. ... The instructions to the forces are clear. The campaign will continue until further notice.”

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza on Saturday rose to just over 7,700 people since Oct. 7, with 377 deaths reported since late Friday, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. A majority of those killed have been women and minors, the ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told reporters that the disruption of communications has “totally paralyzed” the health network.

Residents had no way of calling ambulances, and emergency teams were chasing the sounds of artillery barrages and airstrikes to search for people in need.