‘Israel is not rushing the military operation in Gaza, but the future of the campaign remains complex.’ This is the title of an analysis published by the Haaretz website and signed by journalist Amos Harel, according to which Israel has achieved “impressive” results in recent weeks and US support is still “constant”. Reality, however, “is not static”.
In a partial assessment at the end of the third week of the ground operation in the northern part of the StripHarel highlighted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) around Gaza City encountered “less resistance than expected” and “Immense damage was inflicted on the Hamas army“, with its ability to exercise government in the attacked area effectively “nullified.”But Hamas as a whole has not surrendered, and its leadership is apparently far from doing so“, recognized the journalist, also citing a similar analysis by the expert Michael Milshtein, according to which “we are still far from the turning point” in this sense.
In light of the military successes, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the IDF leaders want to continue the operation at full speed and they believe further strikes on Hamas will force its leader, Yahya Sinwar, to make more concessions in hostage negotiationscontinues the journalist, according to whom this would also explain the continuous procrastination of the Netanyahu government, which for days – despite the pressure – has not materialized the agreement on the table which provides for the release of around 70 hostages (a lower number than what Israel would like ) in two phases, in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian women and minors detained by the Jewish state.
There are large areas of Gaza City itselfespecially the northern and southern neighborhoods, where the IDF have not yet operated on the ground. Gallant and the army officers speak openly about the need to also deal with the southern part of the Gaza Strip, the area south of Wadi Gaza, Harel points out in the hours in which the chief of staff, Halavi, spoke about the need to expand operations just to the south. A turning point is needed, adds the journalist, regarding the effectiveness of the raids against the Hamas leadership.
Netanyahu, for his part, has to deal with what was announced to the population after the October 7 massacre. It is very unlikely, Harel underlines, that public opinion will accept “a final scenario that does not foresee a violent defeat of Hamas and the eradication of the organization’s main capabilities from Gaza”. It will not be enough for the prime minister to announce that he has dealt a “hard blow” to Hamasas happened following Operation Protective Edge, Operation Pillar of Defense and a series of smaller operations conducted starting from 2012.
“His procrastination in pursuing the agreement for the prisoners has a complementary side: his stubborn refusal to discuss the possible conclusions of the hostilities and the scenarios for the day after in Gazaand in particular his statements that there will be no room for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza if Hamas is truly defeated – specifies the journalist – This position is in conflict with the conclusion reached by the experts dealing with the issue”.
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