IDF’s new chief of staff plans large-scale manoeuvres in Gaza to ramp up military pressure

The new chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is planning a large-scale manoeuvre in the Gaza Strip to ramp up military pressure on the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, the Israeli website Walla has reported. Major General Eyal Zamir takes over the leadership of the occupation forces today.

“The plan by Chief of Staff Zamir,” said Walla, “is expected to change the concept of fighting in Gaza through large-scale ground manoeuvres and continued control of the territories. This move will be accompanied by heavy fire from the air and land, with the aim of putting strong pressure on Hamas.”

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It added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a situation assessment in the Southern Command a few weeks ago with the participation Minister of Defence Israel Katz, Zamir and his predecessor Herzi Halevi, and other generals. The assessment programme saw the senior officers in the Southern Command present various stages of war plans.

According to security sources, Zamir explained that fighting under his leadership will be different. Security sources predict that he will promote a more aggressive approach and seek to shorten the fighting time and put pressure on Hamas to force it to reach an agreement to release the captives. Instead of entering refugee camps, towns and cities, and then withdrawing, said the sources, Zamir intends to have several teams working together to occupy and control territory on an ongoing basis.

In accordance with the policy adopted with the civilian population so far, the sources explained that in the event of a large-scale manoeuvre, the Israeli army will work to establish shelter areas for civilians and open humanitarian routes.

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