Limor Simhony Philpott
Israel’s cabinet has given a green light an audacious plan to retake Gaza, signalling a serious shift in its approach to the war on the Hamas-controlled enclave. Approved on 5 May, the operation aims to seize the entire Strip, hold key territories, and maintain a long-term military presence – a stark departure from the hit-and-retreat tactics of the past.
With a timeline pegged to begin after Donald Trump’s regional visit from 13-16 May, the IDF are mobilising tens of thousands of reservists for what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls an ‘intensive’ campaign. But this high-stakes strategy, driven by the twin goals of crushing Hamas and freeing hostages, is fraught with risks and riddled with contradictions.
According to Netanyahu, the plan’s primary aim is to throttle Hamas into submission. By capturing swathes of Gaza, expanding buffer zones, and blocking Hamas’s access to humanitarian aid distribution, Israel seeks to dismantle the group’s grip on Gaza.
Netanyahu, supported by far-right allies like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, is intent on destroying Hamas’s military and governing power. This stance creates tension between the coalition government and with the IDF and most of the public, who demand that hostages should be freed first, before Hamas is hammered.
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