Israel starts movement along Gaza border as invasion seems imminent

The Israeli army has started movement along the border with the Gaza Strip as it prepares for the possibility of an invasion into the Palestinian enclave Hamas operates from.

Israel started moving tanks towards the border on Sunday morning after the security cabinet last night officially declared war, allowing “significant military steps.”

Troops on the move in southern Israel pic.twitter.com/LnRPZwRAyZ

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The Israeli army was evacuating the settlements of Urim, Bari, Nahal Oz, Nativ Hatara and Zikim near the Gaza Border.

“As a result of the operational assessment of the situation, the residents were asked to evacuate their homes,” the army said on X. Earlier the army said that all residents living in towns near the border fence would be evacuated within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, fighting between Hamas militants and Israeli security forces continued in at at least seven places in southern Israel, according to local media portal Haaretz.com.

Israeli military has claimed to have killed ‘hundreds’ of militants and captured dozens. Hamas militants launched a multi-pronged incursion into southern Israel on Saturday, killing over 600, and injuring over 2,000 others. Over 100 Israelis are held captive by Hamas, according to Israel’s press office.

Around 400 were killed and over 2000 were wounded in Gaza as Israel pounds the Hamas stronghold, taking the total tally of deaths in the ongoing conflict to around 1000.