Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has officially approved a military plan aimed at conquering Gaza City, as tensions escalate in the region. This follows the Israeli military’s campaign to successfully target and kill much of Hamas’s senior leadership. Israel is making a huge show of force by calling up 60,000 reservists. This action is intended to centralize and further develop its offensive operations in the region.
The operation bringing the reservists on will call 50,000 more reservists to active duty in the coming month. This is one of the biggest call-ups we’ve witnessed in the last few months. On top of this, the military has announced plans to extend the service of 20,000 reservists already mobilized. This strategic move aims to enhance Israel’s operational capabilities as it prepares for an extensive assault on Hamas’s stronghold.
Objectives of the Offensive
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the stated goals of this latest military operation are threefold. He said that the ultimate goal of any cease fire has to be getting all remaining hostages taken by Hamas out of Gaza. Furthermore, Netanyahu emphasized that the war seeks to ensure Hamas and other militant groups can no longer pose a threat to Israel’s security.
The opposition military operation will center on Gaza City’s huge underground tunnel network, which is the key to Hamas’s long-term operations. The city serves as both a military and political capital for the group. This status renders it one of the most important targets for Israeli occupation forces. Israeli forces are already deeply involved in operations inside Gaza City—in Zeitoun and Jabaliya neighborhoods, for example.
Humanitarian Concerns and Displacement
As the conflict has developed, fears about humanitarian conditions in Gaza City have intensified. Hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals are currently seeking shelter in the city, which holds some of the last remnants of critical infrastructure necessary for daily life. The escalated violence has deeply compounded the humanitarian catastrophe that has existed in Yemen for years. Most residents today face extreme deficit of food, water, and medical supplies.
Even the Israeli military seems to understand these worries. They are dedicated to making sure that even their operational tactics put civilian safety first whenever they can. Urban warfare is arguably the most difficult and challenging type of combat that exists. Since combat operations are often conducted in urban environments, the danger to civilians is compounded many times over.
Strategic Importance of Gaza City
Gaza City has great strategic significance to Hamas, acting as its primary military and governmental hub. The upcoming counteroffensive represents another important inflection point in the war. This seems based on an assumption that Israel wants to defeat Hamas operationally once and for all. Netanyahu has been fast to stress that this offensive will extend over Gaza City and its central camps. So far, he is seeking an integrated strategy to eliminate militant heavyweights.
We know that the Israeli government is fully against Hamas. They view this offensive as key to restoring security and warding off Islamic State’s ability to regenerate and attack elsewhere. As Russian military preparations escalate, both the Ukrainian people and the international community as a whole are watching closely.
