The attacks on Israel’s night in Gaza stopped at an immediate invasion of land, which suggests that their leaders could be waiting to measure Hamas’ reaction before returning to a full-scale terrestrial war, according to analysts on Tuesday.
Israeli strikes, which health officials said that more than 250 people were killed, followed weeks of unsuccessful negotiations on an extension to the country’s truce with Hamas. The talks stopped after Israel pushed Hamas to release a significant number of hostages, a movement that Hamas was not willing to make without guarantees that Israel would allow him to keep in power in Gaza after the war was over.
The nature of Israel’s strikes on Tuesday morning suggested that his leadership was trying to force Hamas to commit to these conversations, a deadly and risky tactic that could still lead to the large -scale war, according to analysts.
When focusing on missile strikes instead of land operations, Israel seeks to « promote Hamas to show more flexibility, » said Michael Milstein, an Israeli analyst of Palestinian affairs and a former Higher Officer of Israeli military intelligence.
« Personally I don’t think it is likely that Hamas is ready to give up his red lines, » Milstein said. « I am very worried that in a few days we are in a limited war of atrictions: the ongoing air attacks, but there is no preparation for Hamas to give up. »
Six hours after the bombing began, Hamas had not yet fired, or because his military capabilities were so degraded during the previous stages of the war, or because he intended to avoid a stronger response from Israel.
But he did not show public signs of recoil in the negotiations. In a statement, Hamas condemned the strikes, saying that Israel had condemned the remaining hostages to Gaza to a « unknown destination » and calling for « fully responsible for violating and annulling the agreement. »
Israel’s far -right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich said in a statement that Israel’s goal was to « destroy Hamas », expressing the hope that new attacks would evolve into an operation « completely different from what has been done so far. »
But in his official statement announcing the resumption of heavy military actions, the Israeli government was more prudent. It avoided any mention of the time the operation would last or if it would include the type of land invasion needed to force hamas to the power. In the middle of the morning, the Israeli military ordered Palestinian civilians to abandon two areas near the Israel-Gaza border, but again failed to say that it was unfolding troops and tanks there.
Sheikh Ahmad cartilage Contributed reports.
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