Israel is reportedly preparing a major military offensive in Gaza that could end the war against Hamas once and for all.
The plan, called “Operation Giden’s Chariots,” is aimed at dismantling Hamas, freeing the remaining hostages it took on October 7, 2023, and permanently occupying the Gaza Strip to maintain peace.
From JNS:
Israeli troops are set to “act with great force” until all war goals for Gaza, including the defeat of Hamas and securing the release of every hostage, are achieved, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday.
The entire population of the Gaza Strip will be evacuated to the southern part of the enclave during the fighting, and the Israel Defense Force will stay in “every area that is taken,” the defense minister said.
“The operation is intended to defeat Hamas and bring about the release of all the hostages. We will act with great force to destroy all of Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities,” he told soldiers of the IDF’s 162nd “Steel Formation” Armored Division, which is expected to take part in the ground campaign, dubbed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.”
“From the moment the maneuver begins, we will act with great force and will not stop until all objectives are achieved,” Katz continued.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) director Ronen Bar have approved operational plans for an expanded military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The approval followed a situational assessment held on Tuesday at IDF Southern Command headquarters, attended by senior members of the military’s General Staff Forum and led by Zamir. According to an official statement, the operation will involve intensified maneuvers in Gaza, with Israeli forces expected to maintain control of areas they capture.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the Security Cabinet “decided on intensified action in Gaza.”
The operation will begin after President Donald Trump visits the region next week if Israel and Hamas cannot reach a viable hostage release deal.
From YNET:
What is already being presented in the media as Operation Gideon’s Chariots is a combined military, civil and diplomatic campaign aimed at achieving two goals simultaneously: first, to pressure Hamas and Islamic Jihad into softening their positions and agreeing to a significant hostage deal under terms acceptable to the Israeli government; and second, to inflict a severe blow on Hamas’ military capabilities and governmental infrastructure — enabling, on the “day after,” the establishment of a new order in the Gaza Strip.
Under such a prospective arrangement, the terrorist organization would be effectively disarmed, and its military and civilian leadership in Gaza would be unable to function or control the relatively small terror groups likely to remain scattered throughout the Strip, possibly attempting to wage localized guerrilla warfare against IDF forces.
The planned operation is broken down into three phases. The first involves prepatory measures such as intelligence gathering, airstrikes, and a campaign to dismantle Hamas’ logistical networks. The second phase will see the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) begin evacuating Gaza’s civilian population to the south around the city of Rafah. This is meant to minimize the number of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Lastly, IDF ground forces will move into the region to wipe out the remaining Hamas forces and establish control over critical areas. After the IDF accomplishes this objective, it will maintain a prolonged presence in the captured territories to prevent the terrorist group from reforming, The Jerusalem Post reported.
There are different views regarding what will occur once these goals are achieved. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that it is important for people to stop being afraid to use the word “occupation.” The operation’s goal will be occupation and conquest, with long-term boots on the ground.
Some optimists believe Israel has finally made the decision it should have made back in October 2023, as the move could result in clearing Hamas and removing it.
However, there is still no clear alternative to Hamas in Gaza. Nature abhors a vacuum. In a vacuum of power, it is unclear if Hamas will simply return or find a way to insert itself among civilians who are evacuated.
The move will undoubtedly elicit condemnation from the international community, especially with the United Nations, which has harbored a distinct anti-Israel bias for decades. Nevertheless, Israel vowed from the beginning to completely eradicate the Hamas threat in the Gaza Strip, so this move would not be surprising — especially if Trump’s visit does not bring the two parties closer to a peaceful resolution.
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