The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have announced their plans for the next phase of their ground operation in the Gaza Strip. In an interview with the non-governmental educational organization StandWithUs, IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus stated that this phase will be dedicated to destroying what remains of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in the enclave. Conricus acknowledged that this will not be an easy task, as significant fighting continues in the north of Gaza.
The spokesperson clarified that the overall goal of the Israeli ground operation is to eliminate all Hamas infrastructure. “We have never limited ourselves to any geographic boundaries. We simply stated that we would initially focus on fighting in the north of Gaza,” Conricus added.
Tensions in the Middle East escalated after thousands of Hamas militants crossed into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7th, when Hamas announced the start of the “Flood of Al-Aqsa” operation. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country to be in a state of war.
The objective of Israel’s counter-operation, known as “Operation Iron Swords,” is to repel the attack, free over 200 hostages, including foreigners, and destroy Hamas. To achieve this goal, Israel has conducted extensive rocket strikes on the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the operation. Additionally, the Israeli National Security Council decided to halt the supply of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel to the enclave. Humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza only resumed through the Rafah Crossing after October 20th, although the volume of aid is considered insufficient.
On October 27th, Israel announced the “expansion” of its ground operation in Gaza. The exact start date of this operation remains unknown, but leading up to it, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians evacuated their homes and sought refuge in shelters and in the south of the enclave. As of November 5th, the IDF has surrounded the city of Gaza and cut off its supply routes, with ongoing fighting still taking place in the center of Gaza.
Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to destroy Hamas.
