The battle of Gaza City does not need to happen. The expected loss of human life and physical destruction could be avoided if Hamas laid down its arms and released the hostages. That is made much less likely by the words and actions of Western leaders including our own prime minister and foreign secretary. The pressure they are piling on Israel to end the war, including threats to recognise a ‘Palestinian state’, are understandably translated by Hamas into signals to them to fight on. Why would they give up the struggle, which has already cost Gazans so dearly, if there is a chance their enemy will be restrained by its own so-called allies? It is hard to reconcile the constant attacks on Israel’s vital self-defence with the near silence about the savages that started this war and keep it going.
But despite the complicity of Western leaders, Hamas has clearly been panicked by the IDF’s preparations to invade one of their last remaining strongholds. Having earlier rejected a ceasefire proposal Hamas have just accepted the same terms in the hope that will put a stop to, or at least delay, their eventual demise. There is a lesson here for Western leaders, applicable not just to the Middle East: threats of force with the means to back it up accompanied by unquestioned political will is the only language tyrants understand. Instead, what is the West’s response? To undermine it with every means at their disposal. And these are the self same faint-hearted leaders who think their security guarantees to Ukraine will be taken seriously.
Israel is mobilising 60,000 more reservists for what may be a five division assault on Gaza City. It has already begun operations to ‘shape the battlefield’, in military parlance, including air strikes against key targets and preparations to encircle the city with tanks and infantry. Up to a million civilians are at present in Gaza City, around half the population of the Strip, although many have now begun to head south. A large number of these, having previously evacuated, were forced back by Hamas to increase the number of human shields to die in the anticipated fighting there.
The IDF will do everything it can to clear out as many of them as possible before the attack begins, something they successfully achieved before assaulting Rafah in the south — another pivotal battle that Western leaders did their utmost to stop. Where will these civilians live and how will they survive? The IDF has demarcated humanitarian zones in the south but the UN has proven woefully unable or unwilling to provide effective support. Their meagre efforts will be strengthened by Israel — unprecedented by a combatant nation during any war. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which gets aid to civilians and keeps it out of Hamas hands, is working to significantly expand its operations, which are now responsible for delivery of most aid into Gaza.
It’s going to be a tough fight for the IDF, the biggest battle they will have fought in Gaza. The city is the largest urban area in the Strip, with high-rise buildings, broad thoroughfares and narrow rat-runs, all adding complexity, chaos and intense danger for an attacking force. The defenders have had twenty years to prepare. Buildings Continue reading