• For full details of graphics available/in preparation, see Menu -> Planners
News Sport
Israel readies ground offensive in Gaza infographic
Graphic shows situation preparations underway for a possible ground invasion of Gaza.
GN44940EN
EN NL AR ES PT

CONFLICT

Israel readies for ground offensive in Gaza

By Jordi Bou

October 11, 2023 - Hundreds of thousands of Israeli troops are massing near the Gaza border, with Israel expected to launch a ground attack on the coastal enclave.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has now increased the number of reservists it has mobilised to 360,000, with at least 35 battalions being organised into four divisions.

The public and the national security establishment in Israel are demanding retribution for the attacks by Hamas militants that claimed more than 1,000 Israeli lives over the weekend.

But a ground invasion would be complicated by Gaza’s dense population, its complex underground network of tunnels and the danger it would pose to hostages.

Israel is carrying out a siege of Gaza, cutting off food, power and water as it hits back at Hamas targets in the thin coastal strip, which is home to 2.3 million people.

The death toll in Gaza from the Israeli air strikes has risen to 1,100, an update from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in the territory says. At least 200,000 Gazans have been made homeless.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 11/10/2023; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
Advertisement