Israel's countdown to Gaza ground invasion after killing 'dozens' of Hamas fighters

Myself and photographer Rowan Griffiths, have witnessed troop movements on the Israel-Gaza border ahead of a ground offensive.

Israel's military manoeuvres around Gaza intensified Sunday with massive overnight airstrikes and troop movements in the countdown to a much-anticipated ground offensive.

A staggering 300 air strikes were launched on Hamas positions in the early hours to dawn, Israel’s military claiming to have killed “dozens” of key Hamas fighters. Among the dead are believed to be a “rocket team” kingpin from the Gaza-based terror network and Israel bombed targets in the West Bank for the first time in 20 years.

The Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet foreign and domestic intelligence agencies have formed an elite revenge squad called “the Nili” whose only mission is to hunt down and kill every last Hamas commando who took part in the October 7 massacre. The hit unit is targeting the Hamas “Nukhba” so-called special forces involved in the October 7 attack and will be similar to Israel’s Nazi war criminal hunters.