Israeli Strategy for Gaza: Essential Details in Four Key Points
Jerusalem: Israel Unveils New Strategy Against Hamas
Israel is gearing up for a massive operation against Hamas in Gaza, backed by the war cabinet. The Army Chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, has presented a fresh plan, which gains approval from the executive with a majority vote. The operation, expected to commence within weeks, follows President Trump's visit to the region.
- Manpower: Tens of thousands of reservists, approximately sixty thousand, are mobilized to carry out Zamir's strategy. The operation intends to escalate the military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, with a phased approach, focusing on specific areas within the Strip before expanding to other zones. The intense fighting could last for months, according to military estimates. The increase in troops through reserve call-ups is meant to intensify pressure on Hamas as reports from the Strip indicate that the controlling group has recruited new members and reactivated old armed groups.
- Aid: The plan includes revising the mechanism for aid entry into Gaza, which has been blocked for over two months. The proposal intends to minimize aid theft by Hamas for its militants. However, the plan was opposed by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, arguing that there is sufficient aid in Gaza and that entry should be conditional on the release of hostages. The new aid delivery method involves the army entrusting international organizations and private security contractors with distributing food parcels directly to individual families in Gaza, with troops providing external security. Israel believes this method will make it more difficult for Hamas to divert aid to its fighters. However, international and non-governmental organizations criticize the plan, emphasizing concerns that not everyone will receive aid.
- Hostages: General Zamir emphasizes the primary goal of the operation is to retrieve the 59 hostages, alive or dead, and defeat Hamas by eradicating it. The army chief cautions that a large-scale operation in the Strip could lead to the loss of hostages. Many hostage families oppose the plan due to safety concerns, as 35 confirmed hostages have already died. However, both Sara Netanyahu and Trump recently stated that fewer than 24 hostages still remain alive.
- Territory: The Israeli operation would extend to the creation of wider buffer zones to the north, south, and east. The Rafah area is already under Israeli control. The plan reportedly includes taking control of territories in Gaza, relocating the civilian population southward, targeting Hamas, and preventing the group from seizing control of humanitarian aid.
In brief, the Israeli strategy centers around military operations, aid distribution control, hostage release efforts, and territorial management. Critics question the strategy's impact on civilians and the stability of the region, with potential for heavy civilian casualties and increased instability.
- The Israeli strategy, as presented by Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, involves a phased military offensive against Hamas, aiming to retrieve hostages and eradicate the organization, while also managing territorial control and revising the mechanism for aid entry into Gaza.
- The intense fighting, expected to last for months, could result in heavy civilian casualties, and critics question the strategy's impact on the stability of the region, given potential for increased instability due to the consequences of the military operation and changes in aid distribution.
