People dig and search through the rubble of a destroyed building following Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern of Gaza Strip on Oct 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH/BEIRUT/ANKARA/WASHINGTON - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday asked infantry soldiers along the border with the Gaza Strip to get prepared for entering the Palestinian enclave, without specifying the time of the offensive.

Gallant visited Israel's Southern Command near Gaza, where Israel has been gathering force in the wake of the deadly surprise attacks launched by Hamas militants on Oct 7.

During the visit, Gallant told the troops to "get organized, be ready" for an order to start the ground operation. 

"Whoever sees Gaza from afar now, will see it from the inside -- I promise you," he said.

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In the evening, the military said in a statement that the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command Yaron Finkelman visited several units that were currently stationed in the southern area and approved attack plans.

Meanwhile, at least 12 Palestinians and one Israeli officer were killed on Thursday in clashes in the Nur Shams refugee camp east of the West Bank city of Tulkarm, Palestinian sources said.

Rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel over destroyed buildings following Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, central Gaza Strip, Oct 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Along the Lebanese-Israeli borders, confrontations between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, a Shi'ite military group, on Thursday killed one Hezbollah fighter and wounded three civilians

The clashes occurred when the Israeli army was conducting a massive arrest campaign in the West Bank targeting more than 150 Palestinian suspects.

Director of the hospital Amin Khader told Xinhua that among the 12 Palestinians, five victims were still being held in a mosque and yet to be transferred to the hospital.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that the "Israeli army prevented ambulance crews from reaching injured people in the camp."

Lebanese-Israeli borders

Along the Lebanese-Israeli borders, confrontations between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, a Shi'ite military group, on Thursday killed one Hezbollah fighter and wounded three civilians.

Sources from Lebanon's Internal Security Forces said Israel's artillery shelling on Thursday affected the outskirts of 22 towns in southern Lebanon, burning two houses and damaging 25 homes severely.

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Lebanese military sources said the Israeli army expanded its bombing area to include several areas along the borderline from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa and Kfarchouba in the east.

Israeli security forces inspect a site where a rocket launched from Lebanon fell in the northern city of Kiryat Shmona near the border on Oct 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

For its part, Hezbollah on Thursday claimed that it had attacked armored Israeli vehicles, barracks, a watchtower and radars, causing several injuries.

Meanwhile, Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for launching 30 missiles from Lebanon toward West Galilee.

UK’s support

Visiting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged Thursday British support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has withdrawn all of its diplomatic personnel from Türkiye for "security reasons" against the backdrop of the deadly Israel-Hamas conflict, two informed diplomatic sources said

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, Sunak said he stands with Israel as a "friend" and hopes Israel to "win the war."

For his part, Netanyahu said Israel needed "continual support" for "a long war."

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The British prime minister also held a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, during which he urged humanitarian aid to Gaza while stressing support for Israel.

"Palestinians are victims of what Hamas has done. It's important that we continue to provide humanitarian access," he said.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrives at Ben Gurion airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct 19, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Withdraw diplomats

Israel has withdrawn all of its diplomatic personnel from Türkiye for "security reasons" against the backdrop of the deadly Israel-Hamas conflict, two informed diplomatic sources told Xinhua on Thursday.

"All Israeli personnel from diplomatic missions in Türkiye have been withdrawn for security reasons," said the sources, who declined to be named.

People gather outside the Israeli consulate during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinians, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Oct 18, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

The Israeli National Security Council issued a travel advisory on Tuesday to Israeli citizens in Türkiye, urging them to leave as quickly as possible.

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Since the blast at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip caused heavy casualties on Tuesday, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Türkiye, with some protests flaring up outside Israeli diplomatic missions in both Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

Rising threats in US

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Thursday that the Justice Department is seeing an increase in reported threats against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities and institutions in the United States amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Demonstrators, calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, are detained by US Capitol Police during a protest inside the Cannon House Office Building at the Capitol in Washington on Oct 18, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

"The entire Justice Department remains vigilant in our efforts to identify and respond to hate crimes, threats of violence, or related incidents, with particular attention to threats to faith communities," Garland said during a speech in Florida.

READ MORE: Donald Trump pledges to expel immigrants who support Hamas

"As always, the Justice Department remains focused on doing everything we can to keep Americans safe from the threat of terrorism," he added.

Protests are continuing and tensions are rising across the United States after the Israel-Hamas conflict. According to the Center on Extremism at the Anti-Defamation League, at least 140 protests across the country have been tracked within a week after the current conflict started, in which some protesters glorified violence and attacks on civilians. Online threats against Jewish people have increased 400 percent, the group said.