We’ve reached the 90-day mark for the Israel-Hamas war, and it’s far from being over. Northern Gaza is under total Israeli control; IDF said they were close to this goal around Christmas time. The operational focus now shifts toward Southern Gaza, where there will be some serious politicking as Israel aims to keep its ties with Egypt intact.
Cairo has said in no uncertain terms that they don’t want to house Palestinian refugees for two simple reasons: they breed terrorism and instability. That’s why the border crossing in Rafah has been closed for years. At a macro level, it’s why no Arab country wants Palestinians flooding into their communities: they bring trouble. Egypt has deployed tanks and added more barricades along its border with the Gaza Strip as the IDF marches south.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 7, 2024
The Israeli Army announces it has taken control of northern Gaza (including Gaza City) after killing 8000 terrorists from Hamas and other terrorist groups.
The fighting will now be refocused to southern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/rrXlJRpeDy
You can expect more pauses and negotiations, or at least not be shocked if any occur. Israel is doing all it can to reduce the number of casualties, which was partially behind its demobilization of several brigades recently. These reservists need a break, and this war has been a strain on the Israeli economy. Israel all but announced that the low-intensity, targeted phase of the war is set to begin. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu already announced that as we approach the three-month mark, many more months of conflict are ahead (via The Hill):
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not letting up on his vow to destroy the militant group Hamas as he warns the war will continue for months.
Netanyahu said at a press conference Saturday there will be “many more months” of war ahead as Israel approaches its three-month mark of fighting Hamas in Gaza, The Associated Press reported.
His comments come as Israel continued to expand its offensive to central Gaza this week and as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East. The Israeli military has said that it was operating in Gaza’s second-largest city of Khan Younis because it believes that is where Hamas militant leaders are hiding, according to The Associated Press.
One day after Netanyahu warned of an extended war, local hospital officials reported Israeli strikes killed at least 35 people in central Gaza on Sunday. More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since the onset of the war on Oct. 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
It is very well of The Hill to acknowledge that terrorists run the Gaza Health Ministry. Who knows what the actual death toll is, but while the IDF mops up Hamas terror strongholds by blowing up tunnel entrances or outright flooding them with seawater, there’s still the Hezbollah threat on the border with Lebanon, where Israel has already commenced aerial operations against known terrorists.
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