The Thursday security incident on the Israel-Gaza border raises a number of tactical questions, but also provides several strategic answers.
The event itself was less successful than officials at the IDF's Gaza Brigade would have us believe: The terrorist was spotted as he crossed the security fence, and was surrounded by Israeli troops in a short period of time, but in effect, he was on Israeli soil for two hours before he was eliminated. Once it was ascertained that he was, indeed, a terrorist, one has to wonder why the skilled group of Golani fighters sent to intercept him didn't do so within minutes.
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Moreover, according to available details, it was senior officers – the deputy commander of the Southern Brigade, a battalion chief and two company commanders – who were the ones to engage the terrorist. A heavy hammer to drop on such a small cog.
The successful outcome notwithstanding, the IDF would do well to hold off on patting itself on the back and ask whether there was any fault in the soldiers' orders or operational readiness. The military also has to determine if the troops hesitated to act in the wake of the July incident in which IDF troops accidentally killed a Hamas security officer near the border.
The technical bottom line is positive: the terrorist was eliminated, three Israeli soldiers sustained only minor injuries, and at no point were any of the Gaza vicinity communities in danger. But in a week when the IDF completed one of its largest exercises in the sector, one could expect a little more acuity from the troops with respect to what is being drilled as a routine border incident.
But in tandem with the tactical issues raised by this incident, it underscored the fact that Hamas has been repeatedly challenging Israeli troops near the border, stoking tensions that Gaza's rulers can then use as a pretext to act against Israel.
Still, while in the past any such border incident would trigger a flare-up, recent weeks have seen Hamas rein in its operatives. This is evident in the steep drop in arson terrorism, the somewhat low-energy weekly border riots, and the steps taken by Hamas security forces, including arrests of operatives they see as a potential threat to the ceasefire.
All this indicates that Hamas is clearly interested in preserving the fragile lull with Israel. This could, of course, change at a moment's notice, especially if the flow of Qatari aid funds or the transfer of goods to the Strip are disrupted, but as of today, Hamas is not seeking escalation, rather solutions.
This, in turn, makes various politicians' calls for a "harsh response" to the latest border incident completely contrary to Israel's interests.
Until March 2018 – three and a half years after 2014's Operation Protective Edge – the south enjoyed peace and quiet. Over the past 18 months, since violence resumed, Israel has invested considerable diplomatic and sometimes military efforts to restore the calm, with the understanding that yet another military campaign in Gaza has to remain the last resort.
Anyone visiting the border adjacent communities in recent weeks couldn't help but see the blessed normalcy that has been resurrected. Even if it is only a temporary illusion, Israel does well by opting for prudence and reason, rather than the obvious knee-jerk reaction. Fighting is always an option, but when takes place, it should be at the right time, and for the right reasons.
