Operation Gideon’s Chariots: Israel’s Strategic Gamble in Gaza

By Elijah J. Magnier –

As Israel launches its latest aggressive and bloody military campaign in Gaza—Operation Gideon’s Chariots—following several days of intensive, indiscriminate bombardment on Khan Yunis and northern Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians daily, and after more than twenty months of protracted warfare, it frames the operation as a decisive effort to dismantle Hamas’s remaining military infrastructure, cripple its governance apparatus, and secure the release of the remaining hostages. Yet beneath these declared aims lies a complex web of strategic contradictions, logistical constraints, and political risks that cast serious doubt on the operation’s feasibility and long-term viability. With only twenty hostages believed to be alive and thirty-eight confirmed dead, expectations for a breakthrough in this final stage appear increasingly unrealistic. After a series of unsuccessful operations over the past year and a half, it remains unclear how the Israeli army expects to achieve in this final push what it has consistently failed to accomplish before.

The Plan in Three Phases

According to Israeli and US sources, Gideon’s Chariots is structured in three overlapping phases. The first—already underway—focuses on “destroying Hamas’s military infrastructure and governance capabilities”. It also involves preparing southern Gaza for large-scale population transfers by setting up humanitarian aid distribution centres under Israeli military control, operated by American companies.

The second phase aims to transfer Gaza’s civilian population into “sterile zones,” severed from Hamas command centres, while screening residents for militant affiliations. In the final phase, the Israel Occupation Forces would conduct ground manoeuvres into cleared zones, eliminate remaining Hamas operatives, and establish a prolonged occupation presence.