The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are considering plans for a ground invasion of Gaza, according to the Times of Israel.
IDF spokesman Hidai Zilberman told the newspaper that a variety of plans for a possible ground invasion of the Gaza Strip will be presented to the IDF General Staff for approval later today.
These plans will then be given to Israel’s political leadership for consideration.
“The IDF in recent days has deployed additional ground troops to the border — from the Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Infantry Brigade and 7th Armored Brigade — ahead of a potential incursion, but no decision to go forward with such a campaign has been made yet,” the Times of Israel reports.
The news comes after several days of intense rocket-fire and airstrikes between Hamas and Israel respectively, prompted largely by rioting at the al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan and the proposed eviction of more Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.
At least 67 Palestinians and 7 Israelis have been killed since the attacks began, whilst clashes between mobs of Jews and Arabs have also intensified in cities around the country.
In Acres, one Jewish teacher who went out to stop his students from rioting was attacked by a group of Arabs, whilst a Jewish mob in Bat Yam was shown dragging a reportedly Arab driver from his car and beating him on live TV.
Over 300 people have been arrested and 36 police officers injured in the riots alone, with fears mounting that the overall situation will lead to civil war.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drafted in reserve soldiers to consolidate police efforts, but said “anarchy” had already taken hold of many cities.
“Nothing can justify an Arab mob assaulting Jews, and nothing can justify a Jewish mob assaulting Arabs,” he said.
A third tower block, thought to house Hamas’ al-Aqsa TV station, was destroyed in Gaza yesterday, prompting militants there to fire approximately 130 rockets into Israel. Several Hamas commanders have been killed in the strikes on Gaza.
Meanwhile, the AFP reports that 5 members of a Palestinian family were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Tueday, whilst sirens around Israel reportedly forced millions of Israelis into bomb shelters last night.
US president Joe Biden has called on Mr. Netanyahu to restore a “sustainable calm” in the Middle East, indicating to reporters that he maintains support for Israel.
“My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory,” he told White House reporters.
Hamas have reportedly told Russian negotiators that they were prepared to enter a ceasefire agreement if Israel halted their “illegal measures in respect of its native Arab residents” and “violent acts” in East Jerusalem.