IDF May Remain in Gaza for Substantial Period: Ex-Israeli Official
© AP Photo / Israel Defense Forces
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An Israeli expert has predicted that the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip could last for months, if not for years.
Amid growing anger over the rising deaths of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip facing the brunt of a full-scale Israeli ground invasion, a former deputy director general linked with the country's Ministry of Strategic Affairs has told Sputnik India that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intend to carry out military operations in the densely populated coastal enclave for up to a year.
According to him, this is crucial for the Jewish state's efforts to dismantle Palestinian militant outfit Hamas' military capabilities.
The remarks of Kobi Michael, who served as senior aide to Moshe Ya'alon, the former IDF chief and ex-strategic affairs minister in current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet from 2011 to 2013, come at a time when most Arab countries and even Israel's closest ally America has urged Tel Aviv to pause its military operations in Gaza for humanitarian purposes.
According to him, this is crucial for the Jewish state's efforts to dismantle Palestinian militant outfit Hamas' military capabilities.
The remarks of Kobi Michael, who served as senior aide to Moshe Ya'alon, the former IDF chief and ex-strategic affairs minister in current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet from 2011 to 2013, come at a time when most Arab countries and even Israel's closest ally America has urged Tel Aviv to pause its military operations in Gaza for humanitarian purposes.
Current IDF Operation Different From Previous Missions
Against this backdrop, Michael stated that this was not another operation like the previous military operations Israel conducted from December 2008 to October 2023.
"This is the first time in 15 years that the government of Israel declared a state of war and it has a meaning," Michael, who is a senior research fellow at Israel's premier defense think tank, the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at present, said in a conversation with Sputnik India on Tuesday.
Eliminating Hamas' Military and Governmental Capacities is IDF's Main Goal, Expert Says
According to the strategic affairs expert, the objective of the war is crystal clear, which is to eliminate the military and the governmental capacities of Hamas.
Saying that it doesn't mean that eliminating Hamas' military and governmental capabilities must reach the last member of the group.
"It means that Israel has to paralyze Hamas' most substantial centers of gravity in a way that it will not enable it to recover militarily or to operate effectively to once again become a threat to Israel. This in essence means that Hamas will not be able to return to rule the Gaza Strip or any other territory in the region," Michael opined.
Long War Awaits IDF in Gaza
The expert underlined that the war was going to be a long one.
Michael reckoned that the first phase of the war which is concentrated on the northern side of Gaza, is the most crucial phase of the war. Because most of the significant military and government infrastructure of Hamas is located in the northern parts of the Gaza Strip and the city of Gaza.
He pointed out that this is the region Israel is concentrating on right now and that's why the IDF is urging the civilians living there to evacuate the area and move to the South because Tel Aviv wants to minimize as much collateral damage as possible.
"I believe, the IDF has already demolished the military and governmental capacities of Hamas that were on the ground in Gaza and is now dealing with an entire underground city. A spiderweb network of hundreds of kilometers of tunnels, where most of Hamas militants and leaders are hiding together with the hostages," Michael added.
He commented that Hamas has a lot of capabilities inside these underground tunnels, including operational command centers, weapons storage facilities, control rooms, and so on.
Israel, he suggested, was making a very cautious, and slow move on the ground to destroy these tunnels.
As per Michael's understanding, the IDF will have to remain in Gaza for a considerable period.
Israel, he suggested, was making a very cautious, and slow move on the ground to destroy these tunnels.
As per Michael's understanding, the IDF will have to remain in Gaza for a considerable period.
"The IDF will have to be in the Gaza Strip for at least one year to accomplish the mission and then it will go out of there," he stressed.
Israel to Replicate West Bank Model in Gaza
But he noted that Israel will continue to carry out some sort of military activity in Gaza, somewhat similar to the West Bank because it must be able to prevent any attempts to restart "terror activities" there that could target the Mediterranean sovereign state.
"And If there is a need, Israeli forces have to be able to enter the Gaza Strip as they do in the West Bank to eliminate the threat of any terror rehabilitation there," he summed up.
International pressure on Israel's political and military leadership has been mounting in recent days, with the death toll topping 10,000 as per UN estimates earlier this week.
Calls have also grown for India to make diplomatic efforts to bring a halt to the escalating crisis in the Middle East with the Iranian leadership, including President Ebrahim Raisi, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use its good relations with Israel to stop its heavy bombardment of the Gaza Strip to safeguard civilian lives there.
Israel PM Hints at Pausing Military Campaign
Though Netanyahu was yet to react positively on suspending the military campaign in Gaza, he seemed to have put forth a proposal that could result in a brief pause in IDF's operations in the narrow strip of land that is home to 2.4 million people.
Netanyahu hinted that this could happen if Hamas freed all hostages.
"There will be a cease-fire for that purpose," Netanyahu told the news outlet on Monday.
On October 7, Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel from Gaza, killing and abducting people in neighboring Israeli communities. Israel retaliated with missile strikes and a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people. On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion into Gaza with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas and rescuing the hostages.
