Occupied Jerusalem- While Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant insists that the fighting in Khan Yunis will not stop until the prisoners held by the resistance are released and senior leaders of the Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” are eliminated, the Israeli army announced – yesterday evening, Monday – the transfer of the “Dovdovan” unit from Gaza Strip to the West Bank, in anticipation of the outbreak of a “third intifada”, withdrawing the 36th Division from Gaza, and keeping 3 full military divisions in the Strip.
These steps by the Israeli army come at a time when debate continues in political circles regarding the third phase of the ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, and the transition from broad military operations, bombardment, and intense raids to specific operations and reducing the intensity of fighting and war.
Israeli Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy also warned, during recent deliberations with the political level, of “the erosion of military achievements during the ground incursion into Gaza, in light of the absence of a political strategy for the Israeli government the day after the war.”
In his warnings, which were reported by the Israeli Channel 13, he expressed the fears of the military establishment that the Hamas movement would reorganize its ranks in the areas north of the Gaza Strip that the Israeli army declared control of, which might prompt it to re-carry out military operations in these areas.
Ready in the army
Halevy’s warnings and assessments come at a time when voices have been raised in the Israeli security and military institutions, warning of the consequences of the outbreak of an armed intifada in the West Bank, in light of the escalation of security tension there, and the Israeli army is preparing for a scenario of comprehensive confrontation on the northern border with Hezbollah.
The Israeli security establishment recently explained to the political level that dealing with the Palestinian Authority, stopping the entry of workers into Israel, and the decision of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to refuse to transfer tax funds to the Authority, increases the state of turmoil in the West Bank and threatens the exacerbation of the conflict and the outbreak of widespread confrontations.
In this regard, the Israeli army withdrew the soldiers of the “Duvdevan” unit from the Gaza Strip and transferred them to the West Bank, due to the security tensions in the region and the warnings of the security establishment about the possibility of the outbreak of an armed intifada, but at the same time it sees the unit’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as abandoning a very important force in the fighting in Gaza. .
The military correspondent for the newspaper “Haaretz”, Yaniv Kubowich, believes that the withdrawal of the “Duvdevan” unit from the Gaza Strip and its transfer to the West Bank indicates the seriousness of the warnings about the outbreak of a third intifada, pointing out that “on normal days, the unit is active inside the West Bank, but since the beginning of the war, only a force has remained there.” Limited, including the unit’s reserve soldiers, while regular units and other reserve forces were transferred to fight in the sector.
Kubowich told Tel Aviv Tribune Net, “Since the start of the ground maneuver in the south of the Gaza Strip, the unit of the Commando Brigade has been working alongside the 98th Division force mainly in the Khan Yunis area, and it is considered one of the most prominent ground combat units in the Strip.”
But he added, “However, in light of the escalation of security tension in the West Bank, the Israeli army conducted an assessment of the situation a few days ago, and it was decided to return them to the West Bank for fear of an outbreak of violence there, including multiple attacks against Israelis in the settlements.”
Fear of all-out confrontation
The military correspondent for the Walla website, Amir Bouhbut, reported that the Israeli army withdrew all elements of the 36th Division, which includes the Golani Brigade, the 188th Brigade, and the 7th Brigade of the Armored Corps, Artillery, and Engineering Corps, in order to maintain the efficiency of the forces, in light of the threats on the northern front. With Lebanon.
The military correspondent indicated that this withdrawal comes after the Israeli army evaluated the combat situation on the various fronts, pointing out that this measure aims to allow the forces to have a period of rest and recovery, and to begin training to maintain their efficiency before determining the destination to which the division’s forces will be redeployed.
Bouhbut estimated that the Israeli army will maintain the readiness of the 36th Division forces, as it does not rule out the possibility of deploying them on the northern front with Lebanon, in light of the escalation of tension and fighting with Hezbollah, and in anticipation of the outbreak of a comprehensive confrontation.
Mysterious reality
Regarding the withdrawal of more forces from Gaza, Dr. Michael Milchin, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, believes that “Israel is at a crossroads, as it must choose between two conflicting paths: undermining Hamas’ rule or returning Israeli detainees.” In the sector.”
He explained in a position assessment published in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that more than 3 months after the outbreak of the war, “there is a determination among the Israeli public to continue fighting, but in addition to that there is also an overlapping feeling of anxiety, in light of the fact that the main objectives of the war have not been achieved.” “Hamas has not been overthrown and Israeli detainees have not returned to their homes.”
The result, according to Milchin, “is the gradual development of an ambiguous reality, accompanied by a political and military perception that is incomprehensible to the majority of the public, and which could be disastrous, with the possibility of developing into a continuous war of attrition, in which Hamas will be the victor, which would lead to the entry into force.” Despair among the Israelis and increasing confusion and frustration, in light of the widening gap between the goals of the war and the actual reality.”
The Israeli researcher adds, “A direct look at reality is also required in the context of the northern front, which is still secondary, at least for the time being. The possibility of evacuating southern Lebanon from Hezbollah forces in accordance with Resolution 1701 through a political settlement is not far-fetched, but it is full of question marks, and constitutes “A threat to form an ambiguous reality over time.”