Hamas gearing up for major move
By Amir Mousavi
Middle East affairs expert
For several days, the Israeli armed forces have maintained a presence on the Gaza border and have signaled their preparedness for a ground invasion on the Palestinian territory. However, a combination of factors have led to uncertainty and hesitation on their part to roll into the besieged Gaza Strip.
Since launching an all-out offensive after suffering a stunning defeat at the hands of Hamas on October 7, the Israelis have been attempting to force Palestinian residents to evacuate the northern and central areas of Gaza, with the intention of relocating them to the south near the Egyptian border. Their attempts have not succeeded, as a dramatic rise in casualties in the coastal enclave suggests that people have not abandoned their homes. On the other hand, Israeli residents near the fence with Gaza and in the northern areas of the occupied territories have fled.
On Sunday, Israeli forces carried out a limited operation to test land incursion into Gaza from Khan Yunis. But they encountered fierce resistance from Hamas. An Israeli soldier was killed, and several others were wounded, forcing the infiltrator to abandon their tanks. The countermeasure indicated Hamas’s readiness for an Israeli land invasion.
Furthermore, tensions have grown between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military top brass, with reports of commanders not effectively executing Netanyahu’s orders. Israel’s National Security Council held a meeting on Sunday to address this issue.
Hamas’s combat readiness, internal disputes, and doubts among Israeli officials, coupled with pressure from the families of soldiers captured by Hamas, have all contributed to the hesitation in launching a ground attack on Gaza.
Another major factor causing Israeli concerns is the potential response of Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran to a ground invasion of Gaza. The reduced media presence of Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has left the Israelis jittery about the resistance group’s possible response. The United States and Europe, as supporters of Israel, also fear possible reactions from Hezbollah and Iran, leading them to make various threats.
If the current situation persists, and Israeli bombardment continues to claim more lives in Gaza, it may end up very costly for Israel. The ongoing loss of life could result in the situation spiraling out of control. The relatively restrained response of Palestinian resistance groups and their resilience in the face of brutal Israeli attacks indicate that Hamas and other Palestinian groups are gearing up for a major operation. It is even suggested that Nasrallah may be overseeing these developments.