While battles between the IDF and Hezbollah continue to rage in Southern Lebanon, another crucial battle has just begun in Gaza. After days of warning “civilians” to leave northern Gaza for the humanitarian corridor in Al Muwasi to the South, the IDF finally launched its much awaited Jabaliya offensive.
The IDF announced that the forces of Division 162 began to operate during the night in the Jabaliya area. This maneuver was said to follow preliminary intelligence that indicated the presence of terrorists and terrorist infrastructures in the area, alongside attempts to restore terrorist infrastructures by the terrorist organization Hamas in the area. However, the Jabaliya operation is clearly part of something march larger.
Sources indicated that the Jabaliya offensive is one maneuver that lies on the backdrop of the implementation of the “Generals Plan” presented by retired general and former head of the national security council, Giora Eiland. The “Generals Plan” calls for a complete siege to be placed on Northern Gaza after giving “civilians” a week to leave to the humanitarian corridor. The hope is that the siege will create enough of a humanitarian crisis in the northern part of strip that it will force Hamas there to surrender or die.
“We mark two fairly safe exit corridors that will be secured by IDF forces. Those who leave will receive food and water. But in a week the entire territory of the northern Gaza Strip will become a military zone, and as far as we’re concerned, no supply will enter this military zone,” Gen. Eiland presented in his plan. “Therefore 5,000 terrorists who are in this area would in this situation either surrender or starve to death.”
Israel’s focus on smashing Hamas once and for all in the areas north of the Netzarim is now underway. When Prime Minister Netanyahu declared right after October 7th last year that Israel would turn “that wicked city” referring to Gaza City into rubble, he had no way to know just how true that would be.