Here’s what an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza could look like
Global News
A retired general, who commanded a multinational observer force during the 2014 Israeli invasion of Gaza, warned civilian casualties are unavoidable.
Israel’s forces are gathering at Gaza’s northern border, preparing for anticipated military action with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to “demolish” Hamas after the terrorist group killed more than 1,300 Israelis and kidnapped nearly 200 on Oct. 7.
But what could the next stage of military action look like?
Israel last invaded Gaza in 2014 in what the Israel Defense Force (IDF) called “Operation Protective Edge.” Sixty-seven Israelis and 2,251 Palestinians, including more than 1,450 civilians, died, according to the UN.
Retired major-general Denis Thompson commanded in 2014 the Multinational Force and Observers, a peacekeeping organization Israel and Egypt created in 1981 to maintain their peace treaty.
He said a ground offensive now, with available Israeli forces nearly four times larger than in 2014, and reacting to a deadly attack that has deeply shaken Israeli society, would pose new challenges for the IDF and risks for Israel.
“If (Israel’s) stated aim is to destroy Hamas as an entity, I think they’re going to … go right through Gaza City and clear it neighbourhood by neighbourhood,” he told Global News.
But he said Israel must also be careful.
“There will be civilian casualties,” he warned, “but you have to avoid them as much as possible.”