Israel to step up strikes on Gaza to create 'best conditions' before ground offensive: IDF
Jerusalem (PTI): With an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza looming large, Israel has said it will step up its aerial strikes in the besieged Palestinian territory to create the “best conditions” for troops to move in.
Indicating Israel's preparations for the second stage of its declared three-phase operation to change the security regime in Gaza, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said, “We have to enter the next phase of the war in the best conditions, not according to what anyone tells us.” “From today, we are increasing the strikes and minimizing the danger,” Hagari told reporters on Saturday, in a clear signal towards an imminent ground incursion.
“We will enter the Gaza Strip. We will begin an operational and professional mission to destroy the Hamas operatives, the Hamas infrastructure, and we will also keep in our minds the images, the scenes and the fallen from Shabbat (Saturday) two weeks ago,” Halevi told the commanders.
He was referring to the latest conflict, triggered by the unprecedented attacks against Israel by Hamas on October 7, which killed around 1,400 people. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive against Hamas.
“Gaza is complex, Gaza is dense, the enemy is preparing a lot of things there, but we are preparing things for them as well,” the IDF chief said.
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant laid out Israel's plan to change the “security regime" in Gaza-- implying Hamas' removal-- and said the plan was designed in three stages.
The IDF was currently in the first stage of the plan when it was carrying out aerial strikes. It will be followed by ground incursion and finally, the change of security regime in Gaza, Gallant said.
Israel has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops in preparations for the ground offensive.
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Uber, Ola partner with Bengaluru Police on safety
Bengaluru (PTI): Bengaluru City Police (BCP) on Monday said that it has, in collaboration with cab aggregator platforms Uber and Ola, implemented a technology-driven integration aimed at enhancing the safety of riders and drivers.
It would also strengthen emergency response mechanisms across the city.
As part of this initiative, emergency call facilities have been incorporated within the Uber and Ola mobile applications used for booking rides, it said.
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Through this integration, riders and drivers seeking emergency assistance can directly share real-time location data, trip details, and contact information with Bangalore City Police's 112 emergency response infrastructure from within the Uber/Ola app itself, an official release said.
Noting that this seamless flow of critical information enables quicker police access during emergencies, facilitating faster response times and potentially life-saving interventions by first responders, it said the initiative is a significant step towards leveraging technology partnerships to ensure safer urban mobility and improved public safety.
