: Graphic material / On October 21, 2023, smoke rises over the northern-western sector of the Palestinian enclave during an Israeli bombardment, amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas. Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have killed since October 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants headquartered in the Gaza Strip launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, prompting Israel to declare war on Hamas in Gaza on October 8.
While hundreds of tanks and armed soldiers await approval from the political and military leadership for a potential ‘ground offensive’ near the Gaza border, the United States and Europe are quietly urging Israel to postpone the operation.
According to top diplomatic sources cited by The Times of Israel, both governments recognize a strong chance of an Israeli ground assault. They are not advising against starting one, but rather recommending a temporary pause to investigate the possible success of other diplomatic measures.