based on an article by Ron Ben-Yishai of Yediot Acharonot and a news clip by Amit Segal of Channel 12 news, edited and translated by Hillel Fendel.
Explaining the IDF's Powerful New Offensive in Gaza
Political commentators in Israel have been trying to explain what lies behind Israel's recent days of renewed, even-stronger offensives in northern Gaza. As of this writing, the Israel Air Force has struck more than 70 terrorist targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours, while over the past week large ground forces have entered Jebalya and other terrorist strongholds in the area and eliminated large numbers of terrorists.
Ron Ben-Yishai of Yediot Acharonot writes that the IDF is striving to cleanse the area of terrorists, remove the need to repeatedly enter Gaza, and ensure that Hamas is not able to take control of the humanitarian aid that the civilian population deserves. In short, "the idea is to make clear to Sinwar [leader of Hamas] that 'the game is over.'"
One of the IDF's declared objectives, Ben-Yishai explains, is the goal of "taking control of northern Gaza areas such as Jebalya, Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahiya in which Hamas is trying to rebuild its civilian power and military strongholds. Jebalya is now totally encircled for this purpose, as well as to neutralize as many terrorists as possible."
The main issue in northern Gaza is that while there are barely any tunnels left, there are some 300,000 "non-involved" civilians whose needs must be tended to. The humanitarian aid that they receive, which is frequently commandeered by Hamas, "prevents the IDF from properly cleaning out the area of terrorists," according to Ben-Yishai. "This is why the experienced Division 162, commanded by Brig.-Gen. Itzik Cohen, has been brought in to deal with the problem."
The IDF is purposely advancing slowly, with firepower when needed, in order to encourage the civilians to leave. Corridors have been opened for travel southward, in which only civilians who have been cleared as non-terrorists may pass. IDF announcements in Arabic continually warn and call for voluntary evacuation. Humanitarian aid is offered generously in the areas to which they are relocating, untainted by Hamas.
Another objective of the present offensive is to obviate the need for the army to continually enter northern Gaza and cleanse it of terrorists. At the same time, this will enable the humanitarian aid to be distributed fairly, by international aid organizations, to those who need it.
By thus entering and cleansing northern Gaza, Ben-Yishai opines – apparently based on IDF sources – the army might well be "building the infrastructure needed for the start of the civil administration or government that will replace Hamas."
Another goal that the IDF is seeking to achieve with this offensive is intensification of the pressure on Hamas leader Sinwar. "This will make it clear to him that the game is over, that he has no chance to rebuild Hamas, and that he would be best advised to reach an agreement for the release of the Israeli hostages that will bring an end to the warfare and suffering in Gaza."
Sinwar knows that when 300,000 Gazans become permanent refugees within Gaza, "this increases the population's fury and frustration and opposition to Hamas – all of which is already beginning to take on momentum."
Sinwar sees what is happening in Lebanon, Ben-Yishai concludes, "and might be thinking that the pressure upon him has relaxed. The current offensive proves to him that this would be a mistake on his part. Hopefully he will realize that Israel knows how to fight on two fronts at once, and that the pressure on him is only getting stronger."
Amit Segal of Channel 12 explained succinctly that we are finally seeing an answer to the long-asked question of how Israel envisions the "day after" the war in Gaza: "It will be many years, or forever, before Gaza has a lack of masculine fighting power between the ages of 18 to 35, or of weapons that can threaten us such as rifles or pistols. It therefore seems that Israel will have to enter Gaza [periodically]."
"But the difference this time is that we see that the IDF is making clear that after it leaves, neither the PA nor Hamas will replace it. What is happening is that we are emptying out areas. Jebalya is a large area, but it is not all of northern Gaza. It is therefore a perfect place for a pilot case: All the residents are removed, and are then returned in a filtered manner – residents yes, terrorists no. We then encircle the area, while inside it remain [in charge] only the humanitarian aid organizations."