The war between Israel and Hamas has only just begun and it is very possible that the worst is yet to come.
The Israeli army, which on Saturday could not stop the invasion, is now dropping tons of bombs on Gaza while preparing a siege that will punish, above all, the two million inhabitants who are also victims of the regime of terror that Hamas has imposed. the Islamist movement that has ruled the enclave with an iron fist for 16 years.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, after warning that “we are fighting beasts,” announced that Israel has cut off the supply of electricity, fuel, water and food to the strip.
The survival of the population now depends on food reserves, which several international organizations estimate can last up to a month, as well as on the clandestine tunnels that connect the south of the enclave with Egypt.
Three days after the invasion, it is not clear that the army has regained control of the territory.
Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced victory in six pockets of Islamist resistance next to Gaza, but immediately acknowledged that “there may still be terrorists in the area.” This nuance gives more credibility to the words of Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, who, for his part, had admitted that Hamas guerrillas continued to resist inside Israel. “This morning we thought we would be in a better situation,” he admitted without hiding the difficulties faced by the elite units that have to advance street by street and fight house by house against terrorists sheltered behind civilian hostages that they use as shields. humans.
The number of victims is growing hour by hour and already exceeds 1,500. Israel recognizes 900 dead and at least 2,600 injured. The Palestinians report 687 dead and 3,726 wounded. These are atrocious figures that have been reached in just three days of war and will continue to grow.
Terrible news for Israel is also the confirmation of the hundreds of people kidnapped and now hidden in Hamas hideouts. The number most mentioned is 150. Many are women and children.
Israel never leaves one of its own behind, and this commitment makes the ground offensive very difficult. Hamas threatens to kill the captives if the Israeli attacks do not stop.
Dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, along with 300,000 reservists, are waiting for the order to enter Gaza. The risk is enormous, but Prime Minister Beniamin Netanyahu has promised to completely defeat Hamas, and it will be very difficult to achieve this from the air alone.
Aviation does not give up. The bombings are massive, and the Gazan population has nowhere to shelter. The bombs have destroyed several mosques and at least one market, an attack that left dozens dead yesterday. The bombs also hit the telecommunications tower. The strip has been left practically without telephone or internet.
Hamas and its Islamic Jihad allies responded with new salvos of rockets, which reached the south of the country, the suburbs of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Iron Dome, the anti-missile defense system, could not withstand everyone.
The war intensifies and already has two active fronts. Israel launched a preemptive attack against Hizbullah batteries in southern Lebanon, but this did not prevent the Shiite organization, an ally of Iran, from launching several projectiles. The population of northern Israel was advised not to leave home and spend the night in bomb shelters. Netanyahu has prepared the population for a long and difficult conflict. “We have begun an offensive that will continue without pause or limitations until the objectives are achieved,” he said in a statement.
The United States provides him with all the help he has requested, from ammunition to naval and air support. The Gerald Ford aircraft carrier battle group, one of the most advanced in the world, sails towards the Israeli coast in a clear show of force. The deep political differences between Netanyahu and President Biden do not prevent the US from remaining faithful to the principle of protecting Israel at all costs.
Europe, for its part, also closes ranks with Israel, reiterating that Israel has the right to defend itself and debate the future of aid to the Palestinians.
The Arab world, however, shows its solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Demonstrations of support for the Hamas offensive have spread from the Persian Gulf to the Atlantic, from Bahrain to Morocco, two countries that have signed diplomatic agreements with Israel. It is now clear, therefore, that there will be no strong relationship between Israel and the Arab states until the Palestinian conflict is resolved. The idea that it could be financed with money has exploded. In this sense, Hamas, no matter what, has achieved a great victory by retaining support for the Palestinian cause.
That is why Israel has to measure the next steps very well. Beniamin Netanyahu explores the possibility of a national unity government that would dilute his responsibility in the defensive fiasco, but that, in turn, sideline the most radical elements of the current coalition.
