A ground invasion is a military operation in which armed forces enter an area by land, overwhelming defensive emplacements and structures. It involves house-to-house urban fighting and carries immense risks to the civilian population. In the context of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, a ground invasion of Gaza could be unprecedented in terms of its scale, ferocity, and civilian casualties. Israels ground invasion of Gaza aims to dismantle Hamas, including its infrastructure and operational capabilities, and to bring home the hostages. However, a ground war would only compound the threats to Palestinians, especially since Hamas fighters are known to use civilians as shields. Ground invasions are often preceded by other means of attack, such as air strikes and cruise missiles launched from ships at sea, which are a common method of "softening" the target.