The Israeli military has announced a change in its strategy regarding the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip, with an intensified focus on targeting the civilian leadership of Hamas in an attempt to eliminate its ability to govern the territory.
According to statements from the Israeli military, the goal of these operations is to weaken the administrative and leadership structure of Hamas, rather than solely focusing on the retrieval of Israeli prisoners held by Hamas.
On Tuesday, Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that the true objective behind the ongoing aggression is not to recover the Israeli prisoners held by Hamas, but rather to destroy Hamas’ capacity to govern by targeting its civilian leadership.
Citing Israeli sources, the newspaper reported that the military intends to escalate its attacks on civilian officials within Hamas, aiming to undermine its governance over the Gaza Strip. This marks a shift from previously stated goals, which focused on the retrieval of prisoners and the destruction of Hamas’ military capabilities.
The occupation believes that striking the governance institutions in Gaza could lead to the collapse of Hamas’ administration and pave the way for local tribes to seize control of the area.
This strategy follows direct directives from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sees the aggression on Gaza taking a new direction that includes targeting civilian leadership, in addition to continuing military operations.
Sources within the newspaper confirm that this strategy involves executing precise operations targeting prominent Hamas figures, as well as intensifying airstrikes on the administrative and service facilities managed by the group.
The Israeli airstrikes resumed with heavy intensity, targeting the Gaza Strip since the early hours of today, following a two-month pause after the ceasefire agreement. The bombing has led to the martyrdom of more than 429 Palestinians, including children and women, as reported by Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
This escalation comes amid the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, with a severe shortage of food, medical supplies, and a near-collapse of the healthcare sector due to the continuous aggression.
While Israel justifies its attacks as efforts to weaken Hamas, analysts believe that targeting Hamas’ administrative infrastructure will only lead to further escalation, and could complicate matters even more, especially as resistance groups continue to retaliate against Israeli assaults, rejecting any attempts to impose a new reality in Gaza.
Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation forces have launched an offensive on the Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyrdom of tens of thousands of Palestinians, the majority of whom are children and women, in addition to the countless injuries and those still missing under the rubble.
