The Israeli military appeared to be on the brink of launching a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip nearly two weeks after Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel.
The country’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat told ABC News Thursday that the Israeli Defense Forces has a “green light” to begin an offensive – just in time for the arrival of hefty military arms from the US.
“We shall do all efforts to bring our hostages, to bring our hostages [back] alive,” he insisted while acknowledging that the “first and last priority” is destroying Hamas.
Hamas has claimed that it is holding about 203 Israeli hostages within the network of tunnels it built underneath Gaza – which Barkat vowed will become the “world’s biggest cemetery.”
The IDF is intent on decimating the terrorist group “even if it takes a year” – with hostages and civilian casualties taking a backseat, Barkat explained.
Barkat’s announcement came shortly after a US defense official told the Wall Street Journal that the US shipped nearly one million rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and tens of thousands of 30mm rounds to Israel in anticipation of the ground offensive.
The generous delivery is part of a previously agreed-upon annual military sale from the US to Israel, the outlet explained.
Thus far this year, Israel has also received tens of thousands of 155mm rounds from the US, the report stated.
Also on Thursday, the IDF confirmed that it was in the process of approving final plans for a ground invasion of Gaza – which is a 140.9 square mile parcel of land between Israel and the Mediterranean Sea.
“As part of the completion of the preparation for the continuation of the fighting, the approval of operational plans and the deployment of forces in the field are currently happening,” the military’s statement read.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also warned the soldiers to “be ready” for the imminent invasion.
The ground approach will come after several days of Israel’s retaliatory aerial strikes on Gaza following Hamas’ deadly launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7.
The terror group’s initial attack saw armed militants break through the border fence and infiltrate several communities in southern Israel in the early hours of the morning.
The terrorists are thought to have slaughtered hundreds of people – including children and the elderly – and took about 200 hostages.
One of the most brutal assaults took place at the Tribe of Nova music festival in southern Negev, where 260 people were gunned down and several others were kidnapped.
The events of Oct. 7 and the following weeks – which saw the death of at least 1,400 Israelis as well as at least 3,000 Palestinians – has sparked horrified outcry around the world.
On Thursday – supposedly the eve of Israel’s massive ground offensive – California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared that he was en route to Israel, one day after President Joe BIden’s own visit.
As of Thursday afternoon, 32 Americans are believed to have been killed by Hamas, with 11 others still unaccounted for, according to ABC News.