Israel Doubles Down On Gaza War

Israel is doubling down on its war on the Gaza Strip in a bid to mount more pressure on the Hamas Movement, which is still holding along with other armed factions some 59 hostages in the Palestinian enclave.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) renewed its operations in Gaza on March 18, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that was brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar last January.

The military expanded its operations during April. On the 12th of the month, it announced that it had captured the so-called Morag Corridor in the southern part of the Strip. The bold push completely isolated the area of Rafah, which lies along Gaza’s border with Egypt, from the city of Khan Younis.

Later on April 16, the IDF said that it had expanded its buffer zones along the border of Gaza, capturing some 30% of the Strip’s territory. The military, however, noted that it was holding off from launching a major offensive to facilitate talks with Hamas on the remaining hostages.

Besides the Morag Corridor, the buffer zone on the border with Gaza has also been expanded from several hundred meters to around two kilometers in most areas.

Israeli troops advanced in Gaza City’s eastern neighborhoods of Shejaiya, Daraj, and Tuffah in the northern part of the Strip.

Half of the Netzarim Corridor, just south of Gaza City, was also recaptured by the IDF, up to the Salah a-Din road.

On April 19, the IDF announced that it had launched more than 1,400 strikes against targets in Gaza since renewing its operations there.

On the very same day, the military took its first losses in Gaza since renewing its operations. A soldier was killed and five others were wounded, including three seriously, after being ambushed by Hamas fighters in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

In an attempt to further pressure Hamas, the IDF on April 22 destroyed some 40 engineering vehicles in Gaza. The military claimed they were used by Hamas for “terror activities.”

By April 23, the death toll from renewed Israeli operations in Gaza had reached more than 1,928 with civilians making the majority of the victims.

On the same day, it was reported that Hamas was preparing to offer a new five-year ceasefire proposal, including the release of all remaining hostages at once and handing over Gaza to a technocratic committee.

Israel will not likely accept the proposal as it apparently believes that Hamas rule in Gaza is about to collapse. The IDF may further expand its operations in the Strip in coming days with a major ground offensive in the hopes of dealing a final blow to the group. This could backfire, however.

https://southfront.press/israel-doubles-down-on-gaza-war/