WhatsappThe IDF continues to intensify its aerial attacks across the Gaza Strip in preparation of what seems to be a coming ground maneuver.
Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued what is being termed a final warning to Hamas: “The first Sinwar destroyed Gaza, and the second will annihilate it completely. Soon, evacuations from combat zones will resume, and what follows will be far more severe. You will pay the full price.”
Leaflets have in fact already been dropped warning “civilians” to move westward and southward to humanitarian zones. Reports have also come in that the IDF has already closed part of Salah Din Street in the Neitzarim coridor in preparations for a return of IDF forces.
Sources are indicating that if Hamas does not hand over the hostages, the coming operation will see a total occupation of Gaza by the iDF with a complete evacuation of “civilians” to a designated enclosed humanitarian zone. Anyone refusing to leave to the zone will be deemed a combatant.
General Eyal Zamir’s plan is about using overwhelming force with a goal of completely wiping out the enemy. It makes sense, he is a former tank commander and understands what it takes to control the battlefield. It is hard to know if Hamas will fold before the IDF goes all in, but what is clear is that Israel is not messing around. No one should expect to see the IDF searching house to house (whatever ones are left0, but rather deliver a series of crushing blows while reducing Hamas and its followers (probably most of Gaza) to the history books. What happens after? And how do the hostages come home is not clear - but what is clear is that after Hamas shirked the hostage deal, Israel had to decide to give it endless weeks or deliver the kind of attack that would at least finish the terror group off once and for all.
