Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, unveils a new military strategy for Gaza, marking a significant change towards territorial occupation as a defensive posture.
Quick Takes
- Israel aims to establish buffer zones in Gaza, expanding its military campaign if hostages are not released.
- Katz’s strategy includes restricting humanitarian aid and setting up infrastructure for aid distribution through civil society agencies.
- The Israel Defense Forces will maintain control over newly occupied areas, employing similar tactics used in Lebanon and Syria.
- This strategy faces criticism from within Israel, with objections raised by political figures and hostage families.
Israel’s Strategic Shift in Gaza
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has announced a major strategy change in Gaza, moving from temporary military raids to territorial occupation. This plan aims to create permanent buffer zones to prevent adversarial actions from Hamas. Katz highlighted that capturing critical areas and securing them for an indefinite military presence would form part of Israel’s fortified defense initiatives.
This strategy, as communicated by Katz, includes ceasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. The restriction is part of the strategy to weaken Hamas’s influence on the population. Instead, new civil society mechanisms will be initiated for aid delivery.
Geopolitical and Security Implications
The plan involves heavy strikes, infrastructure destruction, and increasing territorial control, enabling Israel to annex areas into security zones. It aims to provide enhanced protection for Israeli border communities:
“If Hamas persists in its refusal [of the agreement], [Israeli military] actions will be expanded and will move into new phases,” Katz warned.
Despite the aggressive approach, Katz clarified that any humanitarian initiatives would be directed through civilian companies, preventing the possibility of Hamas gaining access.
Internal and External Reactions
Katz’s announcement met with criticism from opposition leaders and families of hostages. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed concerns, viewing the strategy as prioritizing territorial gain over the lives of hostages. Opposition figures such as Avigdor Liberman raised voices against renewing any form of aid.
“The policy of Israel in Gaza, conducted by the command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with the support of the political leadership, is clear and unambiguous: first and foremost, to take all measures for the release of all hostages within the framework of [U.S. Presidential Envoy Steven] Witkoff’s plan, and subsequently to create the conditions for the defeat of Hamas,” Katz continued.
The plan is currently under intense scrutiny, and while the strategy’s true impact remains to be seen, Katz emphasized that the safety of soldiers and connecting captured areas to Israeli security zones is a top priority.
