Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed yesterday (Tuesday) that the IDF also intends to operate in the south of the Gaza Strip and that the entire offensive is expected to take many months.
First the North, Then the South
An analysis by Ynet based on IDF sources broke down the challenges Israel faces in its efforts to destroy Hamas throughout the area.
According to the analysis, about 70% of Hamas forces are present in the north of the Strip, especially in and around Gaza City. Hamas command posts, government buildings, weapons and ammunition stores, and a whole network of tunnels and rocket launching positions are also mostly located in the north due to the easier proximity to Israeli territory.
The IDF is therefore focused right now on methodically destroying all Hamas power in the north of the Strip, working slowly and methodically to ensure Hamas' power there is entirely destroyed.
According to IDF sources, another reason for the IDF's slow approach was to reduce casualties on both sides, to ensure not only legitimacy abroad but also domestically. The sources stated that a much more rapid advance was possible but would have also been far more costly to all sides.
The South: More Room for Manuever, A Million Refugees in the Crosshairs
Despite the relative importance of the north over the south of the Strip, the IDF will have to content with the presence of Hamas and other terrorist groups in the south of the Strip once it finishes its job in and around Gaza City, as Defense Minister Gallant stated.
About 30% of Hamas forces are present in the southern Strip, as well as weapons stores and the crucial Philadelphi route which serves as a vital underground supply line for their forces via Egypt. Most of the hostages are also believed to be held in the south.
The south is a substantially larger area than the north in absolute size, giving the IDF more room for manuever. On the other hand, the presence of the already substantial civilian population in cities such as Rafah and Deir El-Balah coupled with the estimated million refugees who have abandoned the north during the fighting present their own challenges for the IDF.
Minister Benny Gantz addressed this question, stating that the IDF will work to move the refugees to places where they will be relatively out of harm's way, though exact details remain unclear.