Israel at war: What happened on days 21-22?

The Israel Defense Forces have entered the Gaza Strip and are operating on the ground with support from troops in the air and at sea, Israel's political and military leadership said Saturday night.

"Last night, additional ground forces entered Gaza, marking the beginning of the second stage of the war, whose goal is to destroy the military and political capabilities of Hamas and to bring our kidnapped citizens back," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an evening briefing. 

"We are only at the beginning of the road. The war will be tough and long," the prime minister said. But he stressed, "We are prepared for it. This is our second War of Independence. This is our mission, our purpose in life, and together we will prevail."

Netanyahu said that not only do "the people and the leadership stand behind our soldiers," but also the international community is rooting for Israel. 

"Our partners understand that if Israel doesn't win, they will be next," he said. "Many around the world understand well that Israel is not only fighting its war but a war for all of humanity, a war of humanity against barbarism."

Rocket sirens were heard in Arab al-Aramshe.

Rocket sirens were heard in Misgav Am and Margaliot.

Rocket sirens were heard in Bat Yam and South Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

Rocket sirens were heard in Netiv HaAssara.

Rocket sirens were heard in Nir Itzhak, Sufa, and Pri Gan.

Rocket sirens were heard in Yad Mordechai, Netiv HaAsara, Zikim, and South Ashkelon.

The IDF has entered Gaza, and a ground invasion is underway, IDF Spokesman R.-Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday morning. 

“We have entered Gaza and are expanding operations,” Hagari said, adding that there were no reports of injuries. 

He noted that “this is a war” but that the IDF operated in a controlled and strategic manner, with specific goals as its guide. 

The IDF has been threatening a full ground invasion for more than two weeks, but due to a combination of reasons - some known and some unknown - a full incursion has yet to occur. On Thursday, the IDF sent troops inside Gaza to strike Hamas targets - both on the ground and via the sea. The troops entered and exited the strip in the same evening. 

However, on Friday night, Hagari said that IDF troops were expanding their operations: “In the last few hours, we have severely increased our attacks in Gaza,” he said during an evening briefing, noting that attacks were taking place from the air, sea and land.

A soldier installs an Israeli flag on a tank during a military drill near Israel's border with Lebanon in northern Israel, October 26, 2023 (credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER)

Hagari said 311 soldiers have been identified as dead since the Hamas massacre on October 7. So far, only four out of 229 known hostages have been set free. Hamas claimed that 50 hostages had been killed.

Senior Hamas terrorists eliminated

Overnight, Israel also took out several senior Hamas terrorists, including the head of the aerial formation and the naval commando unit. Both terrorists played strategic roles in the planning of the October 7 Hamas massacre that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

Hagari said that their assassinations represented significant progress toward Israel achieving its goal of dismantling Hamas and would make it easier for the ground troops to do their job.

Israel, Hezbollah clashes in the North

Hagari added that throughout Friday and overnight, rockets were fired at Israel from Hezbollah in the North. The IDF returned fire and shot and killed terrorists trying to enter the country from the north.

He stressed that anyone attempting to infiltrate the country would be eliminated.

The Hezbollah rocket fire injured no soldiers in the last day.

Finally, the IDF said that it would uncover more information about how Hamas was harming its civilians. On Friday afternoon, the IDF unveiled Hamas’s underground terror network, including its use of Al-Shifa Hospital as a command and control center. 

At the same time, Israel said it was allowing the international community to expand its humanitarian efforts and that more trucks of food, water, and medicine would enter Gaza on Saturday.

Rocket sirens were heard in Kissufim.

The IDF and the Shin Bet assassinated the Hamas naval commander responsible for the recent attempt to infiltrate the maritime space near Zikim, the IDF said in a statement Saturday morning.

He was taken out in an aerial strike, the army said.