At the end of the second week of the ground offensive in Gaza, the IDF operation continues to achieve its military objectives. Under cover of the general siege of the Gaza Strip and the siege of Gaza City, and under cover of artillery and air fire, the IDF is intensifying its activity in the territories it has seized, completing the cleansing of sites used by the enemy for fighting, manufacturing and storing weapons or other infrastructure activity, and increasing the pressure on additional areas inside the city.
Defense Minister Galant in conversation with Shaldag fighters in the Gaza Division \\ Photo: IDF Spokesperson
At the same time, the Air Force continues to carry out targeted attacks on targets, in accordance with intelligence that is constantly flowing from Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet. The focus of the effort in the northern Gaza Strip does not exclude the other areas from the fighting, which the IDF also attacks – from land, air and sea. The main challenge now for the ground forces is dealing with Hamas's rogue fighting, from within the tunnel network, from humanitarian facilities and using civilians as shields.
If in the initial stages of the ground offensive the emphasis was placed on the breadth of the operation, at the present stage the emphasis is on depth. As far as Hamas is concerned, the damage to its assets and leaders is painful, but tolerable and still does not endanger its competence.
The war in Gaza - and the message to Hezbollah
As much as one can see through the veil of ambiguity that the IDF employs (and rightly so), the fighting is well managed. The conduct of the forces conveys professionalism. The cooperation between the arms and between the bodies is broad, close and precise. During the fighting, there is also a process of learning, rapid transfer of knowledge and initial lessons between the forces and in the various areas. All these constitute a force multiplier and increase effectiveness in attack and defense.
Nasrallah. Afraid to enter the fray?, Photo: Arab Networks
Moreover, they are of paramount importance vis-à-vis Israel's other enemies, who monitor and examine its conduct as the basis for their present or future decisions. If the thought crossed Hezbollah's minds of waiting until the IDF was exhausted in Gaza and then initiating a military operation against Israel, they would now have to assume that in such a situation they would encounter an army that was far more alert, trained and trained than it was before the Gaza war. IDF combat radiates strength.
As with ISIS, it takes time to crush Hamas
The road to achieving the goals of the war is still long. The objectives set by the political echelon are aimed at fatally damaging the enemy's governmental and military capabilities, not at exacting a price or deterrence alone. The expectation is for victory, not for a "victory picture."
Achieving these goals takes time. This is a process that requires systematic, broad and prolonged activity, not a fixed and limited process. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who stood by Israel from the first moment after the Hamas attack, mentioned during his visit to Tel Aviv that he was the one who planned the American war against ISIS. "I know ISIS very well, you have our back," he said.
ISIS also took time to topple, Photo: AP
There is nothing like knowing how long it takes to crush it. The comparison between Hamas and ISIS, which is usually used to illustrate the similarities between them in their monstrous behavior, is also true regarding the nature of dealing with them, complexity and time.
The chaos that will ensue in Gaza is inevitable
Where are we headed? An overview can outline three stages in the reality that will develop in the Gaza Strip. They are true in any arena in which there is a process of force to replace a regime that is firmly rooted in the systems of life.
The first stage, which we are currently underway, will be characterized by a war to topple the Hamas regime and destroy its capabilities. The fighting will take place at varying intensity, throughout the Gaza Strip, over a short period of time. The end of this phase will not be clear and clear, and will probably not occur simultaneously in all areas of the Gaza Strip. It will coincide with the beginning of the second phase, which will be characterized by a lack of governance. The resulting chaos will trigger internal power struggles within the Gaza Strip, including local initiatives to manage civilian affairs. The chaos will undoubtedly invite pressure on Israel on the humanitarian issue and on bringing the Palestinian Authority into the picture. The temporary chaos is apparently an inevitable stage in a power struggle for a real (and not just ostensibly) detachment of Hamas from the hands of power.
IDF forces in the Gaza Strip, photo: IDF Spokesperson
The third stage will herald the new reality after the Hamas era. It is difficult to sketch the scenario. It will be affected by a large number of variables and interrelationships. The principles that should serve as a compass for Israel's policy at all stages are clear: to preserve Israeli freedom of security action without reservation, not to allow Hamas rule, to prevent the emergence of a military threat, and to remove responsibility for civilian matters from Israel.
The writer is the head of the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy
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