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Josef Federman
Palestinians inspect their destroyed houses following overnight Israeli airstrikes in town of Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Friday, May 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) May 14, 2021 - 3:12 PM
JERUSALEM (AP) â Early Friday, just after midnight, the Israeli military put out an ominous statement to the media: âIDF air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip.â
The terse statement set off frenzied speculation that Israel had launched a ground invasion of Gaza a much-feared scenario that would mark a bloody escalation of this weekâs operation against Hamas militants. Some reporters were even told outright the incursion had begun.
Palestinians inspect their destroyed houses following overnight Israeli airstrikes in town of Beit Hanoun on May 14. AP
Early on Friday, just after midnight, the Israeli military put out an ominous statement to the media: “IDF air and ground troops are currently attacking in the Gaza Strip.”
The terse statement set off frenzied speculation that Israel had launched a ground invasion of Gaza a much-feared scenario that would mark a bloody escalation of this week’s operation against Hamas fighters.
Some reporters were even told outright the incursion had begun.
Hours later, the military issued a “clarification”. There were no troops inside Gaza. But by then, several major news outlets had erroneously reported the ground offensive was under way.
Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Early Friday, it was widely, incorrectly reported that Israeli ground forces had advanced into Gaza.
Some observers blame the confusion on a military ploy to lure militants into the tunnels under Gaza.
More than 150 Israeli jets went on to intensely bombard the tunnel system, known as the metro.
Reports in the international media that Israel had entered Gaza to battle militants are being viewed by some as the result of a ploy to lure the fighters into defensive positions that made them targets for Israeli airpower.
On Thursday, news that Israel Defense Forces troops were massing at Israel s border with Gaza was widely reported. Then, early Friday in Israel, an IDF statement prompted news outlets to widely report that an invasion had begun. However, it gradually became evident that an attack did take place but did not involve Israeli troops entering Gaza.