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Hamas Seeks to Wait Out Israel, Restore Presence in Northern Gaza

(Israel Hayom) Meir Ben Shabbat - The Israeli campaign in Gaza is intense, but is unfolding in parameters Hamas has prepared for well. Fuel, food, and logistical support for Gazans have resumed, as has the presence of residents and terrorists in areas recently defined as combat zones. Such circumstances do not add pressure on Hamas. They only serve its "waiting-out and wear down Israel" strategy, providing Hamas with the hope that it could withstand the Israeli attack and ensure its continued existence as a military and governing entity in Gaza. For Israel, this is an intolerable scenario. On a practical level, it is appropriate to step up Israeli airstrikes in any area where ground forces have been reduced. Hamas must not be allowed to establish governance in these areas. Hamas terrorists and officials should be targeted wherever they try to renew their presence. Likewise, Israel should prevent residents from returning to northern Gaza and designate any area with tunnels as a combat zone. The writer, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy in Jerusalem, served as Israel's National Security Advisor and head of the National Security Council.
2024-01-21 00:00:00
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