Israeli army plans total destruction of Hamas in Gaza - FT
Illustrative photo: Israel forces to occupy Gaza Strip completely (Getty Images)
Israel's military may occupy the Gaza Strip long-term and relocate civilians to a special zone on the Mediterranean coast. This is intended to ultimately defeat the Hamas group, according to the Financial Times.
The operation plan was developed by the new Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces with unofficial support from far-right ministers who have long demanded more radical tactics in the fight against Palestinian militants.
One Israeli official stated that the previous administration (Joe Biden's) wanted us to end the war and Trump wants them (Israel) to win the war. There is a high American interest in defeating Hamas.
According to the plan, the IDF will deploy several combat divisions to carry out a re-invasion of the enclave and take control of Hamas-held territories.
The population of the Gaza Strip, which numbers 2.2 million people, will be moved during the Israeli occupation to a "humanitarian zone" along the Mediterranean coast.
Israeli officials told the Financial Times that the military will govern the Gaza Strip, effectively meaning a reoccupation of the territory. Israel captured the enclave during the 1967 war and controlled it for nearly four decades until 2005.
One of the sources familiar with the discussions stated that Israel could take charge of distributing all humanitarian aid and recently calculated the number of calories needed for each Palestinian.
Another source mentioned that the military is considering options for distributing aid directly or through private contractors to prevent Hamas from benefiting.
War until very end
The publication also notes that the plans for a re-invasion differ from the methods used during the leadership of former Israeli security officials, including former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the recently dismissed Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi.
Previously, the IDF conducted high-intensity combat operations, followed by repeated raids into various areas of the strip to eliminate remnants of fighters, then withdrawing. Now, the military has been ordered to prepare for several months of operations involving "battles, victories, and management." The goal is to hold the territory and permanently destroy Hamas as both a military and governing force in the strip.
However, military analysts argue that it is unclear whether the IDF can achieve these objectives within a few months, considering the exhaustion of existing forces and the need to deploy, as they say, at least four combat divisions.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire breakdown
At the end of January, Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement, which included mutual prisoner releases and the return of the bodies of the deceased. This helped stop active combat operations in the Gaza Strip.
However, in early March, the Palestinian group began delaying the release of hostages. On March 18, Israel resumed active military actions and shelling of the enclave.
Recently, the IDF also eliminated several Hamas officials and military leaders.
The reasons behind Hamas delaying the release of hostages were published recently.
