For some time now, Israel has been using words such as “complex” and “difficult” in describing its offensive against Hamas on the Gaza Strip.
This goes to show that the ongoing war has its toll on Israel as it does on Gaza, the only difference is that the effect exerted on Gaza is greater.
War comes but not without its costly price. Warring countries pay their wages in the form of destruction, death and loss of natural resources. Also, the exorbitant cost of machines, weapons, ammunition as well as the war’s toll on the human resource cannot be overlooked.
War can also have a price to be paid in the political currency in the sense that, war can make a country’s political leader unpopular on the domestic scene as well as international.
Currently, Netanyahu’s popularity is in limbo as Israel has been unable to extricate many hostages.
A war can be justified in defending a country’s safety, honour, and pride, just as Israel’s allies say that it has the right to defend itself against Hamas.
As such, Israel has not relented in bombarding the Gaza strip and has begun fighting in “significant centres” of the Gaza Strip. Disclosing Israel’s advancement in the besieged enclave, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman noted its gravity on Tuesday.
“For the first time in a decade, the IDF is fighting in the heart of Gaza City. In the heart of terror. This is a complex and difficult war, and unfortunately, it has costs,” he said.
Pressure is sure to mount to an outrageous degree as the war persists. Protests in support of the people of Gaza continued around the world
Knowing this, the Spear head of Israel’s defense ministry, Yoav Gallant, said, Israel may soon be forced to make “difficult decisions.”
However, he added, “For me, fighting cannot be stopped until its achievements are reached. No going back, no stopping – just going forward.”
On Wednesday, Jonathan Conricus, Israeli military Spokesperson, underscored his country’s resoluteness in the war.
He said, “The mission [inside Gaza] is to engage with Hamas and simply to dismantle each and every Hamas stronghold that is buried underground in bunkers.”
“We are doing that in slow and meticulous order according to plan. Our advances are good, solid,” he added.
He also pointed to the “difficult” situation.
He said, “It is a very challenging battlespace to be in. Hamas has prepared the battlefield, unfortunately, very well,” adding that it is totally enmeshed with tunnels.
“The directive is definitely to kill or capture … all the leaders of Hamas. Those who planned, facilitated, and executed the murderous 7 October massacre in Israel. We’ve said so clearly.
“All of them are dead men walking. And it’s only a matter of time inside Gaza and outside of Gaza, until these Hamas leaders will either be captured or killed by Israel.”
Jonathan Conricus
Hamas Not Wanted
Now, how the enclave will be governed post war is an interesting issue, to say the least.
President of the Palestinian Authority (PA), Mahmoud Abbas has suggested the PA could return to Gaza as part of a political settlement.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said lately that Israel could manage Gaza’s security for an “indefinite period.”
Both propositions, though different, have something in common; the absence of Hamas.
It will be for the enclave’s good that the militant faction no longer dominates. However, it will do no one any good if Israel rules as it is surely bound to result in another insurgence.
Mind you, Gaza is already considered an occupied territory because Israel has full control of its borders, airspace and territorial waters despite having formally withdrawn its forces and settlers from the enclave in 2005.
In 2007, Israel began enforcing a suffocating blockade on the territory which it had captured along with other Palestinian territories – East Jerusalem and the West Bank – in the 1967 War.
On Tuesday, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that President Biden believes “a reoccupation by Israeli forces of Gaza is not the right thing to do”.
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