Just as in 1948, when the Palestinians – leadership and street alike – embarked on a war that brought disaster on their heads, this time too, Tufan (the flood) of Al-Aqsa, as Hamas called its terrorist attack on Israel, which it launched with the backing of the Gaza street, became a flood that threatens to engulf all of Gaza.
An "iron sword" war could go on for a long time, weeks, maybe months. But it can be cautiously stated that the decision has already been made, and that it is essentially a question of time, assuming it will be at our disposal, until the IDF completes its mission of destroying Hamas' military capabilities as well as its ability to control the Gaza Strip.
Gaza City, the heart of the Gaza Strip, is surrounded by Israel and is effectively under the control of our forces. The city is becoming empty of its residents, crushed by the intensity of the Israeli attack on its nests of terror, and even if the battles in its streets continue for weeks and months, it is becoming a ghost town, whose past and future are behind it. Hamas's hourglass and oxygen are therefore running out, even though it continues to launch missiles and fight IDF forces, as if what is happening above the surface in Gaza is none of its business. After all, Hamas has never cared about the people of Gaza, and believes that the more people killed in Gaza, the better it will be and the easier it will be to achieve its goals.
In light of the pictures from Gaza, it is no wonder that in Israel, in the Arab world and in the West, the debate began on the question of the day after – who should rule Gaza and manage its affairs?
To this should be made the following comments:
First, with all the importance of such a discussion, we should concentrate on the present and not on the future, namely on completing the mission assigned to the IDF. Hamas leaders are still alive, inside and outside Gaza – in Qatar, Syria and Lebanon – and they maintain their ability, even if limited, to use their operatives hiding in the tunnels to harm IDF forces. As long as Hamas is not broken and as long as IDF forces are unable to move and operate in the streets of Gaza as they do in the West Bank, After all, the job is not complete. Hamas should not be dealt a heavy blow, but a death blow.
Second, the question of who will rule Gaza must precede the question of where the IDF will be prepared the day after.
Will he withdraw to the Gaza border and make do with infiltrating Gaza whenever necessary? This is not enough, and it must be ensured that the IDF will have a permanent presence and control inside the Gaza Strip, without which it will be difficult to control what is happening there – both along the border with Egypt and along the lateral axes connecting the parts of the Gaza Strip.
As we know, no Arab country is willing to accept responsibility for the Gaza Strip, and the last thing we need is an international force, such as UNIFIL, that will shy away from dealing with Hamas and its ilk and will only limit our ability to operate on the ground
Third, Israel is reluctant to fully occupy Gaza, while the Americans are pressing for the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. However, the PA is weak and battered, has difficulty controlling the West Bank, and it is unlikely that it will want or be able to take control of Gaza. The PA also talks about its desire for peace, but as a state entity it promotes, for example in its education systems, the idea of fighting Israel. Therefore, entrusting the leash to her is like buying a cat in a sack. As we know, no Arab country is willing to accept responsibility for the Gaza Strip, and the last thing we need is an international force, such as UNIFIL, that will shy away from dealing with Hamas and its ilk and will only limit our ability to operate on the ground.
The day after should therefore be talked about only after the task has been completed. Even then, we must prepare for the possibility, even if it does not arouse enthusiasm in us, to continue to control Gaza, and more specifically the tent camps that are being erected on its ruins, even in the foreseeable future.
The elimination of Hamas as a fighting force in Gaza will enable Israel to draw a new Middle East – creating a more comfortable security reality on the northern border, as well as resuming the peace process with the Arab world, which is waiting for us to defeat Hamas, which the Arab states see as a threat not only to Israel but also to themselves.
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