Israel's Plan to Pressure Hamas: A Ground Offensive?

Israel is preparing for a major ground offensive in Gaza. This could involve sending tens of thousands of troops into the region. The goal? To clear and occupy large areas of the enclave. This is one of several strategies Israel is considering as it ramps up attacks on Gaza. The aim is to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages without ending the war. Egypt and Qatar have been trying to revive the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Leaks about a potential ground offensive could be part of Israel's strategy to pressure Hamas at the negotiating table. Israel has previously indicated that it would stop its attacks if Hamas agreed to free more hostages. The Israeli military has been planning this large-scale operation for weeks. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the new and more aggressive chief of staff, is leading these efforts. If hostage negotiations do not resume, the military is prepared to resume fighting. There are serious plans in place. Israel has launched numerous ground offensives in Gaza during the war. However, its forces often withdrew shortly after routing Hamas fighters. Without a sustained Israeli presence, Hamas would often re-emerge in those areas. This time, Israel is considering occupying the territory to prevent Hamas's resurgence. This could mean years of fighting insurgencies.

A large-scale offensive could involve five Israeli divisions, or about 50, 000 troops. The government is escalating the pressure to bring Hamas back to the table on Israel's terms. But there are risks. Once you escalate, you might find yourself in a situation that's hard to control. This is the risk that no one knows if it will work or not. The Israeli military has already started preparing for larger-scale ground maneuvers. They have recaptured half of the Netzarim corridor, which splits northern Gaza from the rest of the strip. They have also pushed troops into strategic locations in northern and southern Gaza. Israel's cabinet has set up an agency to facilitate any Palestinians in Gaza who wish to participate in a "voluntary transfer" to third countries. However, no countries have agreed to take in emigrees. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made eliminating Hamas's military and governance capabilities in Gaza a central war goal. He vows to achieve "absolute victory. " But a larger-scale and longer-term military offensive in Gaza could face stiff resistance from the Israeli public. A majority of Israelis support reaching a deal to end the war with Hamas in exchange for the release of all the hostages. Israel has blocked all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since the beginning of March. This has amplified the humanitarian catastrophe in the strip. Further occupation of Gaza is not in Israel's interest right now. For some extremists in the government, it might be the goal. But it's definitely not the best policy for Israel at this time.

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