Gaza War Update: Israeli Navy Commandos Conduct Raid On Gaza Shores (Videos)

Click to see full-size image. By the Israeli Air Force.

War continues in the Gaza Strip as of October 27. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a daring naval raid, the Hamas Movement launched another wave of rocket attacks and more casualties were reported on both sides.

IDF Naval Raid:

The IDF announced that the Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit carried out a raid in southern Gaza from the sea overnight.

The commando unit destroyed Hamas infrastructure and operated in a compound used by the movement’s naval commando forces, the IDF said in a statement.

Other Israeli Navy forces participated in the operation, and all the Shayetet 13 commandos left the area and returned to Israel after the raid, the IDF added. Video footage released by the IDF showing Israeli commandos landing on Gaza shores and clashing with Hamas fighters.

From its side, Hamas said that its fighters foiled an Israeli landing on the shores of Rafah city in southern Gaza. Israeli commandos withdrew under the cover of airstrikes leaving behind some of their ammunition after clashes, according to a statement by the movement’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

The naval raid was the third Israeli incursion into Gaza in the last 48 hours. IDF infantry, combat engineering and armored forces carried out two ground raids on October 26 and 27.

Airstrikes on Gaza:

The IDF said that over the past day it carried out more than 250 strikes against Hamas targets in Gaza. The targets included tunnels, command centers, rocket launching positions and dozens of operatives.

The commander of Hamas’s West Khan Younis Battalion, Madhat Mubasher, was also killed in an overnight strike on the Strip, according to the IDF.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media reported mass bombardment on residential areas from northern to southern Gaza. Heavy air and artillery strikes hit the northern part of Gaza, in an area where the vast majority of people have already evacuated. Moving to the central part of the Strip, more strikes hit the vicinity of the al-Shifa Hospital complex, destroying more residential homes and blocks.

And the Yarmouk area in the central part of Gaza city was the site of massive air strikes that destroyed a number of residential blocks.

Rocket Attacks on Israel:

Hamas has launched two salvo of rockets at Tel Aviv and nearby cities since the morning. Videos posted on social media showed several impacts and some heavy material losses at the city. The Magen David Adom balance service said that four people were wounded as a result of the attacks.

A rocket attack also targeted the settlement of Ashkelon near Gaza, causing material losses. No casualties were reported however.

Casualties:

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said in an update that 7,326 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since the start of the war. The latest death toll includes 1,792 women and 3,038 children. More than 18,967 people were wounded, according to the ministry.

On the Israeli side, the death toll remains at 1,405. The casualties include 310 troops and 58 police officers. In addition, more than 5,000 Israelis have been wounded, so far.

Meanwhile, the IDF updated the number of military and civilian hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 surprise attack to 229.

Humanitarian Situation in Gaza:

A medical delegation consisting of ten foreign doctors has entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, along with ten trucks importing water, food and medicine.

This brings the total number of trucks since the beginning of the introduction of aid into the besieged enclave to only 84 trucks. Not enough to meet the Strip’s ever increasing humanitarian needs.

Political Developments:

Al Jazeera reported, citing informed sources, that negotiations, mediated by Qatar, on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas are quickly progressing. From its side, Al-Arabiya reported that Israel offered a ceasefire in exchange for Hamas releasing all hostages and handing over the bodies of dead Israelis, but the movement refused.

Overall, an agreement on a ceasefire remains unlikely. At the same time, Israel could further delay the invasion of Gaza in order to facilitate the release of the hostages, appease the United States and improve its public image.

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