U.S. and Israeli media reports have highlighted the difficulties facing the Israeli army in achieving its objectives as it begins the initial stages of its offensive on Gaza City, which it seeks to occupy after nearly two years of genocide and starvation imposed on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
اضافة اعلان
CNN quoted an Israeli military official as saying the army “does not know the true number of Hamas forces present in Gaza City.”
The same official added that “Hamas’ tunnel network is more complex than we anticipated.”
At the same time, Israeli army sources told Haaretz they had warned the government that “destroying Gaza City above and below ground, as happened in Beit Hanoun (north of the Strip), would take more than a year.”
These sources noted that the plan presented by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to the government “allows halting the fighting once an agreement with Hamas is reached.”
The same sources expressed support for fully pursuing negotiations to secure the release of as many Israeli captives as possible, voicing concern that an assault on Gaza City could endanger them. They also pointed to disagreements between the army and political leadership on this issue.
Similarly, Channel 12 reported that Zamir stated “the army cannot estimate the time needed to evacuate Gaza City” as part of the new operation dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots 2.”
Meanwhile, the army said that the 401st Brigade had returned in recent days to fight in Jabalia, northern Gaza, aiming “to target Hamas’ capabilities and destroy military infrastructure above and below ground.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges—approved last Thursday the plan to occupy Gaza City, which includes the mobilization of tens of thousands of soldiers, despite Hamas’ acceptance of a mediator-backed ceasefire proposal.
Many countries and humanitarian and rights organizations have condemned Israeli military operations, warning of a new bloody escalation and mass displacement of Gaza City residents, whose population numbers about one million, including many repeatedly displaced from northern Gaza.
Since October 2023, Israel—backed by the United States—has waged a genocidal war on the people of Gaza involving killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring international calls to halt the war and orders from the International Court of Justice.
The genocide has left more than 62,000 dead and 157,000 injured, while starvation has killed 281 Palestinians, including 114 children, according to the latest figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
—(Al Jazeera)
