Israel is planning an attack on Gaza using bombs equipped with the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit, which will lead to the complete destruction of the city on Sunday or Monday, US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh said on Sunday, citing sources.
"The current Israeli war planners are convinced, the insider told me, that the upgraded version of JDAMs with larger warheads would penetrate deep enough underground before detonating - thirty to fifty meters - with the blast and resulting sound wave 'killing all within one-half mile' … The insider also said the current planning calls for the JDAMs attack, if authorized, to come as early as Sunday or Monday, depending on the efficacy the forced expulsion of Gazi City and south proceeds, with a ground invasion to follow immediately," Hersh said in his column published on the Substack platform.
The continued bombing of the Gaza Strip has forced more than 423,000 people to leave their homes, according to the UN estimates. On October 13, the Israeli military announced that the entire population of Gaza north, or approximately 1.1 million people, should relocate to southern Gaza.
In this regard, the American journalist went on to say that Israel is trying to persuade Qatar to join Egypt in funding a camp for a million or more refugees from the Gaza Strip.
"In the short term, I have been told by an Israeli insider Israel has been trying to convince Qatar, which at the urging of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a long-time financial supporter of Hamas, to join with Egypt in funding a tent city for the million or more refugees awaiting across the border," Hersh said.
He added that the Israeli government is confident that the Egyptian side will agree to host more than 1 million refugees because of the recent accusations of corruption against US Senator Robert Menendez, "stemming from his business dealings with senior Egyptian officials, and the alleged passing of intelligence about persons serving at the US Embassy in Cairo."
