Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed on May 25 that it aims to occupy 75 percent of the Gaza Strip within two months as part of its ongoing large-scale offensive against the Hamas Movement, codenamed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots”.
Israel launched the offensive earlier this month after calling up tens of thousands of reservists. Currently, five divisions are operating in Gaza.
The Times of Israel said that the IDF is planning to push Palestinians into three isolated small zones in southern, central and northern Gaza.
The first will be a “safer zone” in the Mawasi area on the southern Strip’s coast, where Israel previously declared a “humanitarian zone,” while the second is a strip of land in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat, where the IDF has not operated with ground forces.
Meanwhile, the third zone will be the center of Gaza City, to which many Palestinians returned during the ceasefire earlier this year.
The IDF estimates that some 700,000 Palestinians are residing in Mawasi, 300,000-350,000 in central Gaza, and around one million are in Gaza City. Based on this, two million Palestinians will be pushed into an area amounting to just 25% of the Strip.
After completing this process, the IDF would capture, clear of Hamas infrastructure, raze most buildings, and hold for the foreseeable future the rest of Gaza, including all of Rafah, Khan Younis, and the towns north of Gaza City. Thus, Israel troops will be holding 75% of the Strip.
Currently, the IDF is in control of around 40% of Gaza, according to The Times of Israel, which has insight on the military plans.
The IDF intensified strikes on Gaza in recent days, causing many casualties. Hamas-run health authorities said that least 23 Palestinians, including a journalist, a pregnant woman, and a senior rescue service official, were killed on May 25. The latest casualties resulted from separate Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, Jabalia, as well as Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah.
Separately on May 25, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during a visit to Gaza that the fighting against Hamas was “not an endless war.”
“We are intensifying our activity in accordance with the orderly plan. Hamas is under tremendous pressure; it has lost most of its assets and its command and control,” Zamir said.
While Israel maintains that freeing the remaining hostages in Gaza – at least 58 including 23 who are believed to be still alive – is a priority, its military plans suggest that the ultimate goal is to defeat Hamas, occupy the Strip and displace Palestinians.
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yes but we all know that israel is a genocidal state.
i will never forgive israel for what they have done to the palestinians -they call themselves “human ” but their god left out the heart -cold -cruel-sadistic.