Attack on Hamas has been postponed: that is why it is so important again for the Israeli offensive

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Since Hamas’s rocket attack on Israel, a bloody war has broken out in the Middle East. More than 2,600 people were killed in the Gaza Strip. At least 700 of them were children. 1,400 people died in Israel. But the end of the bloodshed is still not in sight.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (73) threatened: “This is just the beginning. Our enemies have only just begun to pay the price. We will destroy Hamas.” Although the attacks on Hamas so far have been carried out from the air, a ground offensive will begin soon.

Israel on Friday called on about 1.1 million people from the Gaza Strip to move from the north to the south within 24 hours. On Sunday, citizens were given one more time to evacuate. Experts then expected a major ground offensive. But so far that hasn’t happened.

This raises many questions. Why did the army initially only give the population a few hours to evacuate if nothing happened afterwards? Experts disagree as to why the Israeli military is taking its time. It is possible that Israel wanted to give Gaza citizens more time to evacuate due to international pressure. It is also possible that the postponement has tactical reasons.

Is Israel hoping for good weather?

The New York Times reported on Sunday that Israel had postponed the offensive due to bad weather. The online portal refers to the statements of three high-ranking, unnamed Israeli officers.

Army spokesman Arye Sharuz Shalicar (46) denied this to T-Online. He said: “I don’t know where the New York Times got its information, but I cannot confirm the postponement of the offensive.” He did not want to go into detail about the weather. Instead, Shalicar said: “Protecting civilians is a priority for the Israeli army. That is why we clearly asked them to go south.”

Although Shalicar does not confirm that better weather is expected, the delay plays into the hands of the Israelis. Because: Dense clouds, thunderstorms and rain were predicted for Sunday evening. It should remain just as gray on Monday. It will remain sunny until Friday. This would be ideal for a ground offensive.

Aerial surveillance is an essential protection for the Israeli military

Because a ground battle poses a great risk to Israel. The Hamas fighters are well connected in the Gaza Strip via a gigantic tunnel system. It is believed they are holed up there with weapons and hostages. This allows them to attack from ambush and move from one place to another unnoticed. It is also expected that snipers will try to attack Israeli soldiers from shelters.

To protect themselves from these attacks, aerial surveillance is essential for Israeli forces. Satellite images and live drone images can help them avoid surprise attacks by Hamas and prevent them in time. They can also help troops locate tunnel entrances and locate hostages. Even if the weather is not the deciding factor in the delay, conditions are currently anything but ideal for an Israeli offensive. (Mrs)

Source: Blick