Israel's military describes fighting with Hamas on the ground in northern Gaza Strip
From CNN's Amir Tal
The Israeli military is continuing ground operations in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement Sunday.
Israeli "aircraft, guided by IDF troops, struck Hamas military structures, some of which contained Hamas terrorists," the military said. "In addition, anti-tank missile launching posts, observation posts and military infrastructure were struck."
"Terrorists who shot at the soldiers were killed, as well as terrorists who were identified on the coastline in the Gaza Strip near the area of Zikim," the IDF said.
Remember: Israel says the
next stage of its war with Hamas has begun after
expanding its ground operations in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that the second stage of the war against Hamas has begun, with the goal of destroying the group's
armed wing and government, and returning hostages held in Gaza home.
The IDF launched its offensive after the
devastating October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel.
Israeli troops have advanced over two miles into northern Gaza, video suggests
From CNN's Paul P. Murphy
Israeli troops appear to have advanced over two miles into Gaza, according to a CNN analysis of video published by an Israeli media outlet.
The troops in the video, taken on Saturday, are seen putting an Israeli flag on a Gaza resort hotel's roof. CNN geolocated the video to an area just over two miles from the Gaza-Israeli border.
"Soldiers of the 52 Battalion of the 401 Brigade are waving the Israeli flag in the heart of Gaza, by the beach," a soldier is heard saying in the video, taken several miles north of central Gaza City. "We will not forgive nor forget, and we’ll not stop until the victory."
The video is one of the first glimpses into where Israeli ground forces have been, and what they've been doing, during the expanded ground operations in Gaza.
A communications blackout in Gaza has significantly hampered the flow of information out of it, though providers said service was gradually being restored Sunday.
The video was published by Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom. CNN has asked the Israel Defense Forces for comment on the video, and why soldiers are installing an Israeli flag on the hotel roof.
On the ground: A CNN team in the Israeli city of Sderot, near the Gaza Strip perimeter, heard machine gun fire at regular intervals Sunday.
The gunfire was heard from the northern part of the enclave, close to the border, while the Israel Defense Forces continued to fire artillery rounds and mortars from outside the border further south.
Earlier on Sunday, IDF tanks and armored personnel vehicles were seen approaching the border while helicopters, drones and fighter jets flew overhead.
A large column of vehicles was seen north of the strip. Staging grounds further away from the border that were full of tanks and armored vehicles just a few days ago are now nearly empty, suggesting the troops have moved closer to the perimeter.
CNN's Ivana Kottasová contributed reporting to this post from Sderot, Israel.
Israel says the next stage of its war with Hamas has begun after expanding its ground operations in Gaza. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the enclave is deepening. Follow for live updates.
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