Israeli forces are approaching Gaza City while the large -scale campaign is looming

On Saturday, Israeli tanks and troops began to maneuver more and more from the periphery of Gaza City in preparation for a Large -scale offensive. The Eyewitness testimonies have reported intensified bombings while Israel is heading for what could be the decisive battle of his war against Hamas terrorists: the capture of Gaza City.

The Israel security firm approved the operation, known as Gideon’s Chariots B, and deployed up to five FDI divisions to the outskirts of the city – very important mobilization. Thousands of reservists – including 60,000 – have been called.

John Spencer, president of Urban Warfare Studies at Madison Policy Forum and Executive Director of the Urban Warfare Institute, told Fox News Digital that the extent of this operation was unprecedented. “It will be a bigger challenge than anything The FDI was confrontedNo doubt. It is the densest location in Gaza, the heart of the Bastion of Hamas. And you don’t really know what are the tunnels until you got there. “”

The base of the Liberty base pushes Gaza while Hamas tightens its deadly handle

A view of Gaza City, the densest location of the strip, seen before the current war with Israel. (Mohammed Salem / Photo / Reuters file.)

Spencer said that “Hamas has built semicircles of defense-oriented in Israel. But the FDI has shown creativity to maneuver around obstacles.” Israel plans to send more combat power to Gaza City than it has been deployed throughout the band so far. “If your goal is to clean the military capacities of Gaza City of Hamas and search for hostages, you need this scale,” he said.

Gadi Shamni, former commander of the Gaza division and ex-head of the central command of the IDF, told Fox News Digital: “It is a crowded city with refugee camps, dense districts, skyscrapers and very developed clandestinity. People say that FDI commands are above and below the last campaign. made.

A former senior Israeli security official, speaking under the cover of anonymity, told Fox News Digital: “The FDIs can conquer militarily Gaza, but the costs will be immense on both sides. The FDI will fight with a method of destroying bombs of force, massive charges, detonating charges, outstanding charges, outstanding charges. whole and slowly advances.

Israel, Hamas terrorists and recurring battles around the Gaza Strip

The general chief of staff, the LTG Eyal Zamir, made a visit to the field in the Gaza Strip. (TDI spokesperson’s unit)

“The FDI has acquired enormous experience in the past two years and will use these tactics in this battle. … You are strong, the enemy is weak and you have patience. Even time is on the side of Israel, winter not coming before January.”

The tunnels remain the most formidable element of the defense of Hamas. Unlike the Islamic State terrorists in Mosul, said Spencer, Hamas has built a network of underground tunnels that allows commanders and combatants to move between the positions to avoid strikes and hide the hostages. “The FDIs that will go to the city of Gaza are not the FDI of 2023,” said Spencer, pointing to rapid adaptations in the use of drones, robots and specialized units for the war of the tunnels. “They have learned so much. But it will always be slow, very prudent and expensive.”

To illustrate the scale, Spencer underlined the 2004 battle for Felujah in Iraq. “It took approximately two weeks to the body of the navies to release Faltujah-each unique house, building, store. About 68,000 structures were cleaned, as if someone looked physically,” he said. “If the five divisions (IDF) did this, absolutely, you could do it in a few months. But the enemy still gets a vote. You cannot rush to failure.”

The former senior Israeli security official described the operation as “telescopic – very slow, with pistons working one by one. This rhythm also gives Hamas luck at each stage to try to conclude an agreement”.

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The troops of the Givati ​​brigade, under the command of the 162nd division, operated in the Jabaliya region in the Northern Gaza Strip as part of the operation “Gideon’s Chariots”. (TDI spokesperson’s unit)

On the fate of the hostages perhaps held in Gaza City, the manager was frank: “Some hostages will die. I would not be surprised if more brigades are brought – the FDI uses immense terrestrial power to grasp the urban land.”

Shamni also warned that Hamas could move hostages, 50 hostages, 20 of which are still considered alive, in combat areas to dissuade strikes – a tactic that he declared that the FDI would be reluctant to commit to fear of harming the captives, a conflict between military necessity and fundamental values.

Shamni highlighted a particularly difficult dilemma: Evacuation of civilians. “You do not know who will leave, how much will leave, how they will react-or if Hamas will even allow them to leave,” he said. “I suppose that many will not evacuate, then you face the hard dilemma of the fighting in a place full of non-combatants.”

Spencer added that history shows that around 10% of civilians are behind. “Even 10% of a million is 100,000 people,” he said.

File showing a Hamas terrorist participating in a military parade. (Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Photo / Reuters file.)

Shamni provides an extended operation: “It could take months. Two months could grasp the surface, but you must always make tunnels. It will cost many lives – including civilians. The worst case is that no hostage will be found alive or dead because of destruction.”

Shamni, who was also attached military from Israel to Washington, warned that the double goals to defeat Hamas and the return hostages are contradictory, risking years of developed fighting.

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Spencer, however, described the decision to advance a “calculated risk”, explaining that if military action has dangers “, you assess the risk that Hamas kills the hostages against the certainty that they are hungry and tortured. Military pressure is the last appeal. Without conquering the city of Gaza, Hamas will continue to hold a sanctuary.”