‘Ground invasion on the table’ warns Israel as conflict with Hamas escalates

‘Unprecedented attack’ requires ‘unprecedented response’ says Israel Defence Forces spokesperson

Smoke and flames rise after Israeli force airstrikes in Gaza (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The attack on Israel requires “an unprecedented response” against Hamas, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces warned, as he refused to rule anything out after the surprise attack on Saturday morning.

More than 200 Israelis are believed to have been killed, while dozens more were taken hostage, after the Palestinian militant group crossed over the heavily fortified border into Israel.

It triggered a strong response from Israel, which launched its own attacks with airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 232 people.

Now, as Israeli army officials tell The Independent that Saturday marked “the worst day for Israeli civilians ever”, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing for a war he says he is confident he will win.

And speaking to The Independent, Lt Col (Res.) Jonathan Conricus, the Israel Defense Forces international spokesperson, said a ground invasion was “on the table” as he refused to rule out any type of response.

He said: “There definitely is a possibility of a ground incursion, that is on the table. As we speak the [Israeli army] is preparing all of the options, it is important to understand the paradigms of yesterday, the paradigms up until 6 October, should be discarded or put to rest. There should be new paradigms of operation from 7 October.

“This is uncharted territory when it comes to us fighting terrorism we will need to new heavy and stronger tools and against these terrorist. I wouldn’t rule out anything at this stage.

“This is an unprecedented attack which calls for an unprecedented response against Hamas which will render it incapacitated to do such an attack again.

Damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv (AP)

”This is not a normal situation - this will not end with the limping ceasefire.”

Lt Col Conricus also said his forces had not yet regained control over southern Israel, where there have been reports of a number of people at a music festival being taken hostage by Hamas militants.

There have also been casualties within the Israeli army with Commander of the Nahal Brigade, Colonel Jonathan Steinberg killed.

Meanwhile, Israeli army officials, as part of their attacks, have asked residents in the Gaza Strip to take shelter ahead of further assaults on Hamas targets as a major reinforcement of troops takes place along the border.