Israel-Hamas, the days of the ceasefire are numbered: “New attack on southern Gaza”

The truce between Israel and Hamas is destined to be short-lived. A scenario outlined by the Washington Post for the future of the Jewish State’s military operation in the Palestinian enclave, launched in response to the October 7 massacre, foresees a ceasefire for a few more days, then the resumption of the Israeli offensive, this time concentrated on south of Gaza. According to the conservative North American newspaper, the days following the truce that came into force last Friday were “brilliant” compared to weeks of “desolation” and deaths. Civilians stranded in Gaza began to receive aid, more than 90 hostages held by Hamas were released, and in return, Israel released more than 200 Palestinians, many of whom were held in prison without charge. But the apparent improvement in the situation is only the result of what happened before the truce: Gaza was devastated by thousands of airstrikes and fighting, with more than 13,000 Palestinians killed and 80% of the population displaced. And violence is also breaking out in the West Bank.

Forecasts for the future do not suggest anything positive. Despite appeals from the United Nations and mediating parties, including Qatar, the truce appears set to end soon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has indicated that the suspension of fighting cannot last more than 10 days, that is, this weekend at the latest. After that, Israel is determined to resume the war, since its main objective – the destruction of Hamas – has not yet been achieved.

Yesterday the head of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, declared that he had approved the battle plan for the next few days. “We know what needs to be done and we are ready for the next step,” he said. It’s unclear what exactly this plan entails, but the only route for Israeli forces appears to be south, the Washington Post points out, noting that Israeli authorities believe many Hamas leaders have fled to this area from Gaza City and the north. Not surprisingly, before the start of the pause, Israel had begun distributing leaflets near Khan Younis, a town in the south of the Strip, urging the population to move west.