Why did Israel decide to suspend its ground operation in Gaza?

According to the New York Times, citing three unnamed senior officers, the Israeli military had planned to launch a ground attack in the Gaza Strip this weekend, but postponed it for several days due to weather conditions that could affect the ability of pilots and drones to support ground forces.

According to the plan, the Israeli army was ordered to occupy Gaza City and destroy the current leadership of the area, with an estimated tens of thousands of soldiers, as well as tanks and commandos, participating in the attack.

For their part, Hamas militants planned to ambush the Israeli army from behind by suddenly emerging from Gaza's many hidden underground tunnels.

Earlier, france24.com (France) reported on October 13 that Gazans were facing a ground attack as Israel mobilized reserve forces and deployed military equipment to the border with the area, a week after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel.

In the event of an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza – the most densely populated place on the planet – the cost would be enormous. The narrow, overcrowded streets could force the sides into hand-to-hand combat, significantly increasing the risk of civilian casualties.

American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh says Israel is planning to attack Gaza using JDAM smart bombs that would result in the city's total destruction.