Israel is on the brink of launching a ground invasion of Gaza, according to two Israeli officials. This long-anticipated move comes in response to Hamas’ recent attacks on Israel, which left around 1,300 people dead and 150 hostages, including Americans. Israel retaliated with a barrage of airstrikes, conducting 6,000 in just six days, along with a siege that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,800 Palestinians.
Although Israel had previously called up 300,000 reservists and ordered the evacuation of 1.1 million people from northern Gaza, officials had not officially confirmed a ground invasion. The two Israeli officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the military plans, indicated that the evacuation order was issued to save as many Palestinian lives as possible before the ground operation commenced.
The campaign for a ground invasion is expected to be one of the most challenging in Israel’s recent history. Gaza is a densely populated area, and urban warfare is likely to result in numerous casualties. In the last Gaza invasion in 2014, around 2,200 Palestinians, mostly civilians, lost their lives. Over 70 Israelis, mostly soldiers, also perished during the conflict.
However, there are concerns about the feasibility of evacuating the Gazans in the short timeframe given by the evacuation order. Humanitarian aid groups argue that the timeline is too short and the conditions too difficult for such a large-scale movement of people. Furthermore, Hamas is complicating the situation by urging residents to stay in their homes. The reduction of electricity in the area makes it challenging for electronic messages with evacuation instructions to reach the intended recipients.
The Biden administration has emphasized its desire for Israel to adhere to the laws of war in its response to Hamas. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, during a visit to Israel, stressed the importance of resolve over revenge and security over surrender in addressing the situation.
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