by Yoni Rotenberg, Besheva, translated by Hillel Fendel.
The Israeli media seems to be trying to play down the IDF's achievements in Gaza, but top security experts in the United States, not necessarily lovers of Zion, admit that the IDF's fighting in Gaza is nothing less than a remarkable and unprecedented achievement.
On October 20, two weeks after the horrific massacre, while Israeli planes were bombarding Gaza from the air and our ground forces were still waiting to enter, the Virginia-based Military Times magazine published an article entitled, "The Fight in Gaza Will be Hell." Combat experts with urban combat experience in countries around the world were sure that a ground entry into Gaza would turn into an Israeli bloodbath.
The article stated: "Estimates from Mosul, Iraq alone [referring to the nine-month Battle of Mosul in 2016-2017] — a likely comparison for what may happen in Gaza, according to multiple experts — suggest that more than 1,000 coalition forces died… If the tolls of dead, wounded and widespread destruction from other urban battles is any kind of indicator, a prolonged ground operation in Gaza likely is to produce as much or more carnage, experts said."
U.S. Lt.-Gen. James Gallin met at the time with Israeli government cabinet members and the IDF Chief of Staff. He told them decisively that a ground offensive was hopeless and would lead to an average daily toll of 20 dead Israeli soldiers. Articles and speeches by our own security experts agreed in principle and warned against getting involved in the "mud of Gaza."
More than four months have passed, sufficient time to examine these evaluations. In Israel, strangely enough, we don't receive an optimistic picture – but listen to what generals and warfare experts from abroad have to say!
According to military research institutes and experts in the U.S. and elsewhere, the IDF has done the impossible, showing the world very impressive combat capabilities in more difficult conditions than have ever been seen. Yes, we Israelis are used to six-day victories, or at most, three weeks. But just like the battlefield has changed, so too our thinking about war must change: The victory of our brave soldiers is achieved from one tunnel-shaft to the next, and from one building to another – and it is a shining victory nonetheless.
Sample quotes from the experts:
John Spencer, head of the Modern War Institute at West Point, speaking to Israeli TV Channel 14:
"The IDF is advancing in a historic manner. I was very surprised by the pace of its progress. There is no other army that I know of, ever since World War II and maybe even forever, that had to fight a terrorist organization like Hamas that seeks to cause maximum casualties, even among civilians. If you would have asked me beforehand, I would have thought that the IDF would suffer many more casualties, and would not be able to attain control over such a large area."
Dr. Eliot A. Cohen of the Center for Strategic and International Studies:
"Israel entered a densely-populated urban area that turned out to be even more fortified than it thought at first. This is a type of war of attrition. Still, militarily speaking, it is doing excellent work there…
"Even if we accept the reports of the Palestinian Health Ministry - and I'm not sure that their numbers are accurate - and the IDF estimates of the amount of terrorists among them, the number of civilian casualties is relatively low."
Cohen is full of criticism of Israel's general policies, but he was forced to admit, with noticeable difficulty, that the IDF is fulfilling international combat laws. He also said that the Israelis are exhibiting creativity, as well as technological and tactical abilities.
To recap: Some experts expected 1,000 dead Israeli soldiers, and Gen. Gallin thought we could have reached 3,000 by now – and this when the actual dimensions of the Hamas tunnel network were under-estimated. The true numbers stand only at 240 IDF casualties in Gaza, with all the sorrow that we suffered at the loss of even one.
The above-mentioned John Spencer:
"What the IDF forces learned during the course of their combat in Gaza is worth more than developed technology. Their ability to close in on and destroy the enemy under the most difficult conditions should frighten Hizbullah. [Hizbullah should know that if] there was ever a time not to start up with Israel, that time is now…
"The IDF's ability to integrate between the ground forces and those in the air is a unique strength of Israel, involving even the commanders in the field."
The Wall St. Journal, in a February op-ed entitled "Israel’s Untold Gaza Progress," cited Spencer's comparison of the IDF's advancement in Khan Yunis to the Americans' victory in Mosul:
“Mosul was one battle, in one city against 3 to 5k militants with limited defenses. Israel is fighting multiple battles in 7 cities against 30k militants with military grade underground cities built under civilian areas.” "Israel needs time to achieve victory," the article stated, "and Hamas is counting on Western powers to deny it that time."
David H. Petraeus, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, referring to the complexities of combat in Gaza:
"These are the most difficult military conditions that exist – much more complex than the battles in Ramadi, Fallujah and Bakuba [cities in Iraq where the Americans fought]. Gaza is a larger area, with a larger population and taller buildings, and in addition, hundreds of kilometers of tunnels and underground infrastructures beneath public and civilian installations such as hospitals, schools, and mosques. It is very, very challenging – but I believe that it must be done."
Col. Richard Kemp, a retired British Army officer who commanded Operation Fingal in Afghanistan:
"I invite all the colonels, generals, experts, and computer war-game players to email me within 48 hours a detailed attack plan for Israel…"
A month ago, in a more serious vein, he said:
"The war is progressing more quickly, with more losses to Hamas, than the Israeli leadership thought at first. This doesn't mean that it will end quickly, because this is the most complex war battlefield ever in history. Urban combat is the most complicated, and Hamas invested years in preparing the ground and the underground for this war. Yes, there have been battle sites with tunnels in the past, but not to this extent and on this level. The IDF was forced to deal with a situation that has never been seen before. And in addition to all this, there is also the matter of the hostages that must be taken into account… I spoke to people in the IDF and I reviewed their activity, and I was very impressed. They are working and advancing in a very effective manner."
In a perfect world, our faith in the justness of our cause and in the Creator of the world, together with the stories we hear from the front and from the IDF Spokesman, would buttress us with the knowledge that "we are winning." But unfortunately, Israeli media often filters out the military items based on whether they are "pro Bibi" or "anti Bibi." We are given a distorted and cynical picture of lack of progress in Gaza.
It is therefore good to hear from the experts abroad that we are in fact making mincemeat out of the cruel Gazan enemy, and with G-d's help we will continue to do so.