'This Is Just The Beginning', Netanyahu Says As Israel Launches 'Localised Raids' In Gaza After Deadly Terror Attack: Highlights

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war after the Palestinian terror group's attack on southern Israeli towns killed over 1,300, the Israeli military on Friday (13 October) launched its first 'localised' raids in Gaza.

Here are the highlights of the development surrounding the Israel-Hamas war:

IDF's 'localised raids' in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces said infantry forces and tanks entered the Gaza Strip on Friday in “localized raids” in order to clear the area of potential terrorists and locate missing Israelis in a likely precursor to a full-scale incursion.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said armored and infantry forces carried out searches and “thwarted anti-tank guided missile squads that intended to infiltrate into Israeli territory", reports Times of Israel.

“The forces located findings that may help in the effort to locate the missing,” Hagari said.

“We will continue to make every effort to find every detail about the missing and hostages,” he added.

Netanyahu says Israel will destroy Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an address of Friday night said that Israel will destroy Hamas, no matter how long it takes, and will finish the war stronger.

"This is just the beginning, our enemies have only begun paying the price and I will not say more. This is just the beginning," he said.

Netanyahu also stressed that Israel, through talks with US Secretary of State Lloyd Austin, is "ensuring the continuation of fighting" with American supply on its way to Israel.

Over 4 lakh Gazans flee after Israel's evacuation order to UN

The United Nations has said that more than 423,000 people had already fled their homes in Gaza, even before Israel’s directive to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip came through Friday.

The IDF notified the United Nations at midnight on Friday that the entire Palestinian population north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza within 24 hours.

The message indicated that the IDF could be readying to launch a ground invasion after a week of aerial bombardment in response to the massive Hamas onslaught last Saturday.

Russia calls for Israel-Hamas cease-fire at UN

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations calls for a “humanitarian cease-fire” in the Gaza Strip and Israel on Friday, while blaming the United States for the ongoing conflict.

The Russian draft resolution, presented to the Security Council, reportedly called for an “immediate” ceasefire and the secure release of all hostages, and “strongly condemns all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism.”

The document did not specifically name Hamas, the terror group that governs Gaza and on Saturday burst through the heavily militarized border into Israel and killed 1,300 people, mostly civilians.

Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the United States, took about 150-200 Israeli, foreign and dual-national hostages to Gaza in the initial attack.