IDF continues airstrikes in Gaza as ground campaign still delayed; some humanitarian aid allowed in after Biden visit

After almost 12 hours of quiet, rocket attacks from Gaza resumed on Wednesday evening as U.S. President Joe Biden was departing Israel after a one-day visit.

Israel Defense Forces also continued airstrikes against hundreds of Hamas targets in Gaza overnight.

Anti-tank missile launching posts, terror tunnel shafts, intelligence infrastructure and command centers, were some of the targeted structures hit during the operation.

Dozens of mortar launchers were also struck, the majority of which were destroyed immediately after launching shells at Israel.

The IDF said that more than 10 terrorists, including some from the “Nukhba Force” which participated in the Oct. 7 raid, were killed in a precision airstrike.

צה״ל ממשיך לתקוף כל העת ברחבי רצועת עזה. במהלך היממה האחרונה צה"ל, בהכוונת שב"כ, השמיד מאות תשתיות טרור של חמאס, מתוכן עשרות שנתקפו בשכונת ס'געיה. מאות תשתיות הטרור שהותקפו כוללות עמדות שיגור טילי נ"ט, פירי מנהרות, תשתיות מודיעין, חמ"לים מבצעיים ומפקדות נוספות>> pic.twitter.com/U2qr2NedNT

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) October 19, 2023

Palestinian sources in Gaza said that Israeli airstrikes eliminated Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi. She was the first woman to be elected to the terror group’s political leadership in 2021.

In another airstrike, the head of Gaza’s Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), Rafat Abu Hilal, was killed.

The PRC is the third largest terror group in the Gaza Strip after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

On Wednesday evening, the IDF reported an upward trend in the number of failed launches from the Gaza Strip, such as the PIJ rocket that is believed to be responsible for the explosion at the Al-Ma’amadani Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday.

“Hamas continues to position the civilians of the Gaza Strip as human shields, does not hesitate to risk their lives to disguise its attacks. Since the beginning of the war, Hamas has been launching rocket barrages on a regular basis, using sensitive civilian compounds for military use,” the IDF spokesperson said.

“The launches are carried out from compounds adjacent to buildings with many civilians, such as hospitals, UN schools, mosques, restaurants, diplomatic buildings and hotels. Hamas and Islamic Jihad fire indiscriminately and also harm Gaza residents. In the past 24 hours there has been an increase in the number of failed launches that hit the Gaza Strip.”

Meanwhile, despite announcing it would not allow any humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip until the hostages are released, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel would permit a limited amount of humanitarian aid into the Strip at the request of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Families of the hostages were upset at the announcement, according to Bring Them Home Now, the organization representing families of those captured by Hamas.

“The decision to allow humanitarian aid to the murderers of Gaza has caused great anger among the family members,” read the statement.

Shortly before leaving, Biden announced that the convoy of humanitarian aid at the Rafah Border Crossing from Egypt to Gaza would be allowed to enter.

Russia also announced 27 tons of humanitarian aid, mostly food, for Gaza to be transported through Egypt.

Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who recently joined the government to become a key player in the newly-established emergency war cabinet, said the war against Hamas could take months.

“It will take a long time. The war in the south – and if need be also in the north or anywhere else – might take months, and the rebuilding will take years. Only when this is complete will we be victorious,” Gantz said while speaking at a funeral.

The goal was to defeat Hamas and rebuild “paradise” in Israel’s south, Gantz said, adding that he personally intends to move to the area after it is rebuilt.