Both sides face significant risks and uncertainties in the ground war taking place in Gaza.
According to reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has informed President Biden that his military must initiate a ground operation in Gaza due to the extensive damage caused by recent attacks from Hamas militants. However, experts in the military field are cautioning that this mission will likely be prolonged and result in significant casualties for both parties involved.
Israel is summoning 300,000 reserve soldiers as it gets ready to intensify a conflict that is currently concentrated in a densely populated region slightly larger than Washington, D.C. and inhabited by over 2 million individuals. Israel takes pride in having one of the most proficient military forces globally, however, the upcoming battle’s circumstances might negate numerous of its strengths.
“I cannot reword”
Mr. Bowman stated that Hamas probably expected Israel to launch a ground invasion due to their actions of killing around 900 individuals, mostly civilians, and holding at least 150 hostages.
“I cannot reword”
Hamas often treats its own people as human shields against attack by locating weapons and military units near hospitals, schools, and apartment buildings, Mr. Bowman said. A top Hamas official Monday said the group was already prepared to start executing its hostages if Israeli forces launched unannounced strikes on civilian targets inside Gaza.
He stated that we can anticipate them to accommodate the large quantity of hostages they have captured in a ruthlessly illegal manner.
Michael Doran, director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East at the Hudson Institute, said he doesn’t see how Israel can avoid launching some kind of ground attack into Gaza if it wants to deal with the long-term threat posed by Hamas, which the U.S. and Israel consider a terrorist movement.
“I am unsure whether it will be a full occupation or only an occupation of the northern strip with subsequent incursions into the south,” he stated. “This action is likely to worsen relations between Israel and virtually all Arab and Islamic nations.”
The Israel Defense Forces are organized to fight at a distance — relying on their superiority in air power, reconnaissance, and firepower — before having to engage an enemy with close-in battles. The block-by-block urban warfare they could face in Gaza will level the playing field in many respects. It will force Israeli troops to engage in the messy prospect of clearing buildings occupied by both innocent civilians and armed fighters, said retired Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe.
“I cannot reword”
The IDF is mainly organized as an armored force and Hamas can use the strategy of fighting in urban areas and underground bunkers to cause significant casualties and minimize Israel’s technological advantages, according to Gen. Donahoe. In the previous incursion into Gaza in 2014, known as Operation Protective Edge, around 70 IDF soldiers were killed. However, this time the situation is more complex as Hamas is believed to have captured over 150 hostages during their recent attack in southern Israel.
Gen. Donahoe said the difference between 2014 and today may be a higher threshold for casualties on the Israeli side based on the number of dead and wounded by this weekend’s Hamas attack. The troops are also being led by a nationalist Israeli government that prides itself on maintaining a hard line on the Palestinian issue.
“If that statement is accurate, we need to mentally prepare for a severe use of force in Gaza,” stated Gen. Donahoe.
U.S. support
On Monday, a high-ranking official from the U.S. Defense Department stated that American officials have been consistently communicating with their Israeli counterparts since the initiation of the Hamas attack on Saturday. The official emphasized that the harsh methods employed by Hamas warrant a similarly severe retaliation.
“I cannot reword.”
Can Kasapoglu, a senior fellow and military analyst at the Hudson Institute, stated that Israel needs to decide on the nature of the operation before deploying tanks into Gaza. The options range from a preliminary mission to rescue hostages, a straightforward punitive raid, to a comprehensive military expedition aimed at incapacitating militant groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad for an extended period.
Mr. Kasapoglu emphasized that the top priority for Israeli troops advancing in Gaza is to prevent any harm to the hostages.
“He stated that all of these categories are challenging to achieve. Each category involves varying force-generation requirements, different weapon systems, and complex calculations to reduce casualties.”
Hamas officials express their desire to exchange their captives for numerous Palestinians currently detained in Israeli prisons. However, this proposition might face difficulties considering the extensive damage caused by their recent attacks. It is possible that their leadership is even anticipating Israel to opt for the expensive and diplomatically unfavorable decision of deploying troops into Gaza.
According to a report from the International Crisis Group, if an incursion occurs, it is highly probable that a violent conflict will erupt resulting in a significant loss of lives, including Israeli soldiers, and causing severe damage to parts of Gaza.
Lawmakers in Washington, including Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, have provided significant backing to Israel. Senator Cruz emphasized the importance of the United States ensuring that Israel is equipped with the necessary weapons to effectively combat Hamas in their ongoing conflicts.
“I cannot reword”
However, Mr. Netanyahu and his military advisors need to consider an additional danger: the possibility that other entities, such as Iran, Hezbollah militants supported by Iran in Lebanon, or even Palestinians residing in the West Bank or Israel, may offer assistance to Hamas if the conflict persists. This could result in Israel having to engage in a multi-front war while its focus is primarily on the battle in Gaza. In the 2021 Gaza conflict, Hamas and Hezbollah established a collaborative command center to coordinate their tactics against the Israeli military.
Analysts suggest that if the ground war in Gaza does not achieve a swift victory, it is uncertain whether time is in Israel’s favor.
Over the weekend, analyst Jonathan Schachter from the Hudson Institute stated that the IDF will face the challenge of balancing these two factors: the requirement for a prolonged military operation and the anticipated international pressure to restrict and conclude the war promptly.
