Israel inflicting major damage on Hamas in new Gaza offensive

Israel’s conflict in Gaza resumed in full pressure final week after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire and a impasse in negotiations over the discharge of the remaining hostages. The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) launched a brand new wave of airstrikes, rapidly adopted by coordinated floor operations in three key areas: the Netzarim Corridor, Gaza’s northern shoreline and the Rafah district within the south.

With expanded U.S. help and favorable shifts within the regional panorama, this subsequent section alerts a big evolution in Israel’s navy goals, from degrading Hamas’s battlefield capabilities to dismantling its means to manipulate.

“We’ve been combating them for 10 days,” stated Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), former Israeli nationwide safety advisor. “All they’ve managed to do is fireplace seven rockets. That tells you ways a lot harm we’ve inflicted already.”

ISRAEL LAUNCHES NEW GROUND OPERATION IN GAZA

IDF troops encircled Tel al-Sultan in Rafah, Gaza, as they dismantled terrorist infrastructure within the space. The IDF stated the operation was to bolster management and increase the safety zone in southern Gaza. (IDF)

A senior Israeli safety official advised Fox Information Digital: “We seized weapons caches, labs, and command facilities. Hamas at this time will not be functioning like a military. It’s a harmful terror group, however it’s not what it was on October 7.”

In response to Israeli knowledge, most of Hamas’s senior command has been eradicated and solely fragmented models stay.

“They’ve misplaced their skilled management,” the official stated. “They’re working in survival mode.”

This time, Israel is working beneath dramatically improved situations, each militarily and diplomatically.

“The strategic atmosphere has modified,” Amidror advised Fox Information Digital. “Hezbollah is weaker, Iran is constrained, and the American administration is providing us true help. They’re not telling us the place to bomb or methods to struggle.”

With fewer threats on different fronts and robust backing from the Trump administration, the IDF has broadened its scope to incorporate Hamas’s political management.

“We’re not simply degrading navy capabilities anymore,” Amidror stated. “We’re dismantling the construction that allowed Hamas to manipulate.”

Through the pause in combating, Hamas consolidated management over humanitarian help, confiscating provides, reselling items and utilizing them to recruit fighters and preserve loyalty. Israeli officers now say that received’t be allowed to proceed.

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Hamas terrorists watch as hostages are launched to the Pink Cross as a part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. (TPS-IL)

“We’re working to discover a answer in order that humanitarian help reaches civilians and isn’t weaponized by Hamas,” the senior Israeli safety official defined. He famous that Gaza at the moment has enough meals reserves and that Israel is growing new supply mechanisms that bypass Hamas fully.

Fifty-nine Israeli hostages stay in Hamas captivity. Their continued detention has sparked nationwide protests, with households urging the federal government to prioritize a negotiated launch. However the renewed combating places these hostages in larger hazard.

“The one actual limitation is the hostages,” Amidror acknowledged. “We would like them alive, and combating a conflict whereas making an attempt to guard them is a large problem.”

“My place is that first we’ve to get the hostages again, even when we have to commit to finish the conflict and pull again to a safety perimeter,” stated Ram Ben Barak, former deputy head of Mossad and present Knesset member. “We will decide to that, however provided that Hamas provides all of the hostages again. In the event that they don’t, that alone is a purpose to return to conflict. And even when Hamas does return them, we’ll be watching. If Hamas begins smuggling weapons once more or coaching fighters, that, too, will probably be a purpose to go in and hit them laborious.”

Israeli troopers sit on a tank in entrance of the northern Gaza Strip as seen from a place on the Israeli aspect of the border on March 18, 2025. (Amir Levy/Getty Pictures)

The safety official stated military pressure is a part of a coordinated effort to deliver the hostages house.

“They launched a bunch of hostages sooner than deliberate due to the strain we utilized in Netzarim once they refused to launch Arbel Yehud,” he stated.

Regardless of tactical good points, Israeli leaders know the conflict can’t eradicate Hamas’s ideology. The mission, they are saying, is to forestall it from ever ruling Gaza once more.

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Israeli troops encircle Tel al-Sultan in Gaza. (IDF)

“We received’t return to the times after we allow them to quietly construct a military,” Ben Barak advised Fox Information Digital. “We’ll strike each time we see navy coaching or arms smuggling. They’ll by no means have tanks or armored automobiles once more.”

Ben Barak stated Israel cannot stay in Gaza long-term: “If we keep like we did in Lebanon for 19 years, we’ll depart in disgrace. The one option to win is to have another person exchange Hamas and govern Gaza.”

He additionally pointed to the West Financial institution as a partial mannequin: “Within the West Financial institution, the Palestinian Authority governs, and we function from the perimeter when wanted. We’d like the identical in Gaza: an internationally backed civil authority that rebuilds the [Gaza] Strip and retains Hamas out.”

Nonetheless, he cautioned towards illusions of peace.

“There received’t be peace within the subsequent 20 years. However like Egypt did with the Muslim Brotherhood, we are able to suppress Hamas’s ideology and cease it from taking root once more.”

Ben Barak additionally stated Gazans who wish to leave ought to be allowed to: “Allow them to out. If they’ve visas and wish to go, Israel ought to allow them to. It should make navy operations simpler in a much less densely populated space.”

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Israeli forces at the moment are deeply embedded in Gaza, with simultaneous operations within the north, south and central areas.

“These aren’t symbolic strikes,” Amidror stated. “We’re positioning ourselves for the following stage. We’ll ultimately want to achieve each tunnel, blow up the infrastructure, and kill each Hamas terrorist. It’s achievable, however it’s going to take not less than a 12 months.”