Senior IDF officials are demanding that the government decide who it wants to replace Hamas as the rulers of the Gaza Strip, after the war, claiming that decisions, though hard, must be taken to avoid any military achievements in the fighting, being lost.
The officials have also demanded a decision on the acquisition of two new F-35 flight squadrons from the U.S., after delays caused amid a feud between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Yorav Galant.
Forces on Sunday returned to operate in the Jabaliya area of northern Gaza and in the city of Zeitoun, after having withdrawn, earlier in the war. The renewed fighting comes at a heavy cost. Five IDF soldiers were killed over the weekend and heavy fighting was reported in the Jabaliya refugee camp.
The raids underway are amid continued efforts to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities. To be fair, this was the expected mode of operations since the start of the war, much like the IDF has been operating in the West Bank against terrorists there, to prevent attacks.
But the defense officials insist there must be an alternative to Hamas that would assume responsibility for the Strip. No one wants the Islamist terror group to resume its rule. The options available are the Palestinian Authority, or moderate forces within the Strip who would be supported by Arab nations. A third option would be an Israeli military administration but that would require forces to remain in Gaza and an investment of economic and security assets. Therefore, only two bad options are realistic, the officials said.
"There is no magic solution," a senior military source said. "It is critical that a decision is made, because avoiding one has brought us to the current situation."
Finding a moderate force in Gaza, that would agree to assume governing authority, is the more complex option because it would likely not have popular support from local residents and would be subject to Hamas attacks. Brining the PA into a ruling position in the Strip is also a bad choice especially as polling has shown that the Hamas massacre of October 7, was widely supported by West Bank Palestinians.
But the defense officials insist that is the lesser of evils and better than the current indecision, which is eroding previous military gains, and requiring repeated incursions in to areas already dealt with by the IDF.
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Palestinians leave Rafah amid extended Israel operation there
(Photo: Hatem Khaled / Reuters)
In response, a political source said the position expressed by the defense officials is wrong and populist. As long as Hamas maintains its military capabilities, no alternative leadership in the Strip is a realistic option, the source said.
In addition to the raids on the northern parts of the Strip, the IDF is also expanding its operations in Gaza. As pressure on Hamas forces there intensified, the terror group launched rockets toward Beer Sheva on Friday and Saturday for the first time in five months.Rockets also hit Ashkelon causing major damage to a home there late on Saturday.
It is likely that rockets could also target more areas in Israel, including Tel Aviv and the central cities. The group has the long-range missiles capable to reach that distance, in Rafah.
As to delaying an Israeli government decision on the purchase of the F-35 squadrons, Smotrich insists on summoning a ministerial committee to decide on military acquisitions, and a defense strategy going forward, before approving the deal.
Gallant said there was no time and that any further delay could mean that the new fighter jets would not be delivered for longer years, after it has already been delayed by at least three years, and while Israel was fighting a multi-front war. The IDF said the purchase was for planes that would replace older aircraft that would be decommissioned.
Yossi YehushuaBut Smotrich has a legitimate point in calling for a new perception to replace the one that had failed on October 7. " There is no certainty that throwing money into the black hole of the defense budget would provide real security, he said."
Since delaying both critical decisions, is detrimental to Israel's future defense, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he alone, must decide, now.