Israel wants 75% of Gaza in two months as battle escalates
Israel is aiming to capture 75% of Gaza within two months as the conflict escalates. Israel’s military push in Gaza aims to take over 75 per cent of the small coastal strip within two months, containing some 2 million people into three areas, according to Israeli media accounts of a military briefing on Sunday. The offensive seeks to achieve a decisive victory over Hamas, potentially leading to the exile of its leadership, while also pressuring the militant group to free the remaining hostages captured during the attack on October 7, 2023, as reported by various media outlets, including Haaretz.
According to the reports, the entire population of the Gaza Strip, which spans just 141 square miles (226 kilometers), would be compelled to inhabit three designated areas that account for 25 percent of the territory: the Masawi area in the south, refugee camps in central Gaza, and Gaza City in the north. The Israeli military currently exercises control over approximately 40 percent of Gaza.
Israel, having obstructed all aid in early March, faces significant international condemnation in light of alarming warnings regarding starvation. Humanitarian aid has started to flow back into Gaza, and a new US-supported aid initiative was scheduled to commence as early as Monday. Nonetheless, the leader of that contentious initiative, Jake Wood, stepped down on Sunday. Wood stated in a report referenced by AP that it has become evident that “it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon.” The implications of Wood’s decision to resign from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for the forthcoming aid program remain uncertain.
Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by both the US and the European Union, instigated the conflict with its assault on southern Israel. It resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and involved the taking of 250 hostages. According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, Israel’s offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 53,000 individuals in the territory.
