JERUSALEM: Israel's military said on Monday its ground forces mounted limited raids into Gaza and airstrikes to repulse any wider Israeli invasion.
Palestinian group Hamas said on Sunday its fighters had engaged an armoured force infiltrating a southern area of Gaza and destroyed some Israeli military equipment before returning to base.
How soon Israel might launch a full-scale invasion is not clear, and neither side can know exactly what to expect when it does.
In a televised briefing describing Israel's latest moves on the ground, Israel's chief military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari also said 222 people had now been confirmed as taken hostage during the October 7 cross-border onslaught.
Stoking expectations of a full-scale ground offensive by Israeli forces massed around Gaza, he said the military's operational readiness was improving and being enhanced "all the time".
Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Sunday that its forces had engaged with a force infiltrating east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
"Fighters engaged with the infiltrating force, destroying two bulldozers and a tank and forced the force to withdraw, before they returned safely to base," the statement said.
Israel has amassed tanks and troops near the fenced border around Gaza for a planned ground invasion. Israel has already launched intensive airstrikes on Gaza, where at least 5,000 people have been killed.
The Israeli military said on Monday that in the past 24 hours it had struck more than 320 targets in Gaza, including a tunnel housing Hamas fighters, and command and lookout posts.
Israel has said its military campaign will exceed any previous moves, but the Palestinian group has proved capable of surprising Israel in the past and will be fighting in a dense urban setting with powerful weapons. — Reuters
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