Israel’s Military Goals Lead to Leadership Disarray

By Elijah J. Magnier:

“The latest military manoeuvre in northern Gaza has ended and will soon end in the south of the Strip,” said Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. This announcement was quickly met with a violent response from the Palestinian resistance, which fired a barrage of 50 rockets in a single day from northern Gaza, particularly from Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza. In addition, Israel reported renewed clashes in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, where Israel is suffering casualties in the limited areas it still occupies on the border of the Strip. These actions sent a clear message that Israel’s perceived military successes have not quelled the resistance, which remains active throughout Gaza. This prompted the Israeli army to announce, within hours of its withdrawal, its intention to launch targeted attacks towards the north and to resume artillery, air and naval bombardments of the areas initially occupied at the start of the war. Israel also acknowledged that the Palestinian resistance had reorganised itself, although in reality, it had never abandoned its position. The discourse among Israeli leaders shifted to emphasise the possible need to reoccupy northern Gaza.

Israel now faces a critical existential dilemma in the face of a resistance that is unwilling to concede any form of victory, no matter how great. Israel’s options are stark: to withdraw is to lose, while to stay exposes it to sustained and powerful resistance attacks, making a prolonged occupation untenable without achieving its goals of ending the resistance and freeing Israeli prisoners.

Israel’s Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevy, has stated that “Hamas is rebuilding its previously dismantled capabilities and that the lack of clear goals set by the political leadership is a serious problem for Israel’s security.” Defence Minister Gallant echoed these sentiments, claiming that “Israel’s failure to secure a definitive victory poses an existential threat, with the nation’s future hinging on the outcome of the war.” These statements, coming from Israel’s top military leaders, signal a deep concern about the Israeli army’s inability to achieve ambitious and what is confirmed as unrealistic goals.