Yahya Sinwar prepared for Israel's aerial attack. It's probable that he also prepared for a ground confrontation, but it's doubtful if he estimated that Israel would act with such force.
Israel should consider agreeing to very limited humanitarian ceasefires, both in terms of time and location. In this arrangement, Israel will be able to monitor all aid entering the Gaza Strip and continue fighting in northern Gaza.
The most immediate goal should be the dismantling of Hamas' rule and neutralization of its ability to return and take control in the future. This requires eliminating its leaders, capturing its commanders, damaging its cells, and stripping its legitimacy in the eyes of the world and its own people. The second is the full disengagement from Gaza.
The IDF is striving to maintain combat readiness and aims to create a ground operation that will lead to the dismantling of Hamas. Simultaneously, this operation is intended to exert heavy pressure on the terrorist organization to secure the release of the captives from the October 7 onslaught.
The prime minister is right that no one had given him an early warning or shown him signs about Hamas' intention to launch a war on October 7. But Hamas does not operate in a vacuum, and this attack did not emerge out of nowhere.
It is unclear what Tehran's endgame is. Among the scenarios are that Hamas and Israel continue to fight "until one of them is eliminated," and a protracted war in Gaza where each side continues to receive support, assistance, and backing from external actors.
“Every paradigm is good for its own time. A good strategist asks every day whether his strategy is still valid and Netanyahu didn’t do that," a former general says.
Some 150 targets have been hit and a Hamas battalion commander was eliminated. Ground operations expose the enemy and maximize the overall impact of the campaign. Additionally, they contribute to breaking the enemy's fighting spirit, which the IDF understands is necessary.
Achieving the goals that Israel has defined will take a long time. The elimination of Hamas' rule and the destruction of its military capabilities will not be achieved in a single defined and limited operation. They will be the results of a process that will involve many prolonged and continuous actions. It is important to formulate plans and manage expectations accordingly.
Hamas' policy of trickling hostages back to Israel is designed to delay Israel’s actions in the Strip. However, Israel has made it clear that the return of the captives will not limit ground operations.
