Gaza Faces the Danger of Becoming Rubble Due to Israeli Military Operations

  While Israel continues its preparation for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, according to numerous reports, concerns are growing that the area may turn into rubble due to the military operations. This scenario has previously unfolded in Fallujah in 2004 in Iraq, Mosul in northern Iraq in 2017, and Mariupol in Ukraine in 2022. There are significant concerns about the humanitarian consequences of Israeli airstrikes and potential Israeli ground operations in Gaza.

Regional and international concerns about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip are increasing. There are fears that the area may turn into rubble due to the military operations following days of intense aerial bombardment. Reports suggest that an Israeli ground operation in the strip is imminent. Concurrently, with the expiration of an Israeli deadline for over a million people in Gaza to evacuate southward, the World Health Organization warned that the evacuation of thousands of patients to the south of the strip could be "tantamount to a death sentence."

Analysts anticipate that the besieged strip may transform into a theater for a highly deadly, exhausting, and protracted military operation. The recent attack by Hamas fighters, the worst in Israel's history, leaves little doubt about the scale of the upcoming operation. Analysts believe that Israel's intensive aerial bombardment since the start of Hamas's operation on the seventh of October is preparation for a significant ground assault.

Ending Hamas's Control

Alex Bolltsas, a defense expert at the Atlantic Council, a US-based research center in Washington, says that the current airstrikes aim to "eliminate Hamas leadership and control, key leaders, tunnels, weapon caches, and rocket launchers to reduce the risk of rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and risks faced by (Israeli Army) personnel during a ground operation."

Consequently, Gaza, one of the most densely populated places in the world, may join the list of urban areas turned to rubble due to military operations. The Gaza Strip witnessed battles and devastating shelling in 2014 when Israel mobilized 75,000 reserve soldiers for a 50-day operation, according to John Spencer of the Modern War Institute at the US Military Academy, West Point.

However, this time, Israeli authorities have summoned 300,000 reserve soldiers. Pierre Razoux of the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies says that the Israelis will deploy all elite units, their armored vehicles, infantry, explosives experts, commandos, and special forces.

These forces will be supported by artillery, drones, fighter jets, and combat helicopters. Razoux suggests that the initial goal might be to divide the Gaza Strip into two parts, separating Rafah in the south from Gaza City in the north. He expects "mechanized and armored operations to control the main roads, as seen in Beirut in 1982 before a coordinated attack in all directions, on land, sea, and air."

Razoux speculates that the invasion will likely be launched at night, as Hamas is deprived of electricity, while Israeli fighters are equipped with state-of-the-art night vision devices that enable them to see even through walls. Despite this, Israeli technological superiority does not offer easy solutions.

Andrew Galer of the British intelligence company "Janes" says that urban warfare always presents "one of the most tactically and logistically complex environments" for any regular army.

Hamas fighters operate in a maze of narrow alleys and a network of tunnels that Israeli intelligence cannot fully uncover. Spencer says that in the history of urban warfare, clearing a single building as a strong point can take days, weeks, or even months.

The difficulty of the Israeli operation is compounded by the fact that Hamas is heavily armed. Spencer points out that in 2014, Hamas deployed between 2,500 and 3,500 fighters equipped with rockets, mortar shells, anti-tank guided missiles, grenade launchers, automatic rifles, and small arms.

He adds that its arsenal has expanded since then, notably with the addition of "a full range of drones - from unarmed drones to military drones - and commercially available modified quadcopters for dropping ammunition."

Tragic Situation

Civilians in the Gaza Strip face a tragic situation. According to the United Nations, over 423,000 people have fled their homes, but they have few options for escape with Gaza's borders closed on all sides. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aware that his entire political legacy is at stake, has set an overly ambitious goal.

Netanyahu said at a press conference on Thursday, "Just as ISIS was crushed, Hamas will be crushed," referring to the Islamic State group. It's a goal that puts the Israeli army in a prolonged battle.

Boltsas says, "The only way for Israel to achieve its goal of eliminating Hamas's military capabilities is urban warfare from house to house and building to building." He adds, "It may take several months due to the size of Gaza, the number of militants ready to fight, the size of the militants' weapons caches, and the size of the civilian population."