Israel is preparing for a fierce battle in Gaza City, with likely thousands of Hamas fighters waiting in the dense urban landscape. The city’s population has swelled since an unprecedented attack on Israel in 2023, leaving its residents with limited space and options.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to attack the last remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza City and central camps further south. However, evacuating civilians poses a significant challenge, as only around 300,000 residents have not been displaced since the conflict began, according to former Israeli general Amir Avivi.
Humanitarian aid is mainly distributed south of Gaza City, but Israeli troops have been accused of firing at and killing civilians near distribution sites. Human Rights Watch has described these areas as “death traps.”
Gaza’s civil defence agency says Hamas’s military wing could have up to 10,000-15,000 fighters in the city, many of whom are freshly recruited. Former Israeli military intelligence officer Michael Milshtein warns that the battle could be similar to Stalingrad, with a high risk of civilian casualties and material destruction.
The Israeli army will face obstacles such as tunnels, weapons depots, and combat posts, as well as improvised explosive devices and civilians used as human shields in a dense urban maze. The prospect of a humanitarian disaster looms large, with aid workers expressing concerns about the militarization of aid efforts.
Source: https://www.barrons.com/news/nothing-will-be-left-israel-prepares-for-gaza-city-battle-e79ea06e