Israel changes its combat tactics in Gaza… and continues to work on the “buffer zone”
Armed clashes expanded in the Gaza Strip between the Israeli army and Palestinian fighters, after the occupation army changed its method of operation in the Strip and turned to concentrated attacks in specific areas, including Khan Yunis, which it considers the capital of Hamas militants.
Sources in the Palestinian factions told Asharq Al-Awsat that the 119th day of the war witnessed fierce clashes in the north, center and south of the Gaza Strip. It confirmed that confrontations broke out in the areas of Tal Al-Hawa, Al-Rimal neighborhood, Al-Sina’ah, and universities, and at the police city of Arafat, southwest of Gaza City, and in the west of Khan Yunis, in the south.
The exodus continues from Khan Yunis towards Rafah today, Friday (AFP)
The sources added that the confrontations were concentrated in the areas to which the Israeli army returned to carry out operations. She explained that the Israeli army changed its fighting style in all areas of the Gaza Strip, and withdrew from the depths, whether in the north or Khan Yunis in the south, and launched attacks in specific areas and then withdrew.
With the beginning of the ground war in late October, the Israelis attacked areas north of the Gaza Strip, and at the beginning of December they moved to attack the center and south of the Gaza Strip, and they are now planning to attack the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.
Tents of the displaced in Rafah amid pools of water as a result of the rain that fell on the Gaza Strip today, Friday (AFP)
An Israeli army spokesman said on Friday that the commando division continued “to consolidate its control over western Khan Yunis, in the middle of an urban area that constitutes one of Hamas’s main strongholds, as there are combat complexes in the area that include sniper sites, reconnaissance sites and mosques.” He confirmed that the forces clashed with gunmen and killed them from a short distance.
The spokesman also confirmed that the forces continue to destroy infrastructure in Gaza, and have attacked targets in the northern Gaza Strip as well, and fought in the Nuseirat area in the central Gaza Strip.
A rush to distribute food aid in Rafah on Friday (AFP)
The commander of the 99th Division, Brigadier Barak Hiram, said, addressing the reserve fighters of the Yiftah Brigade in Gaza: “The price is high, and some of our colleagues have fallen, while others have been wounded, but there are no free wars. We will continue to take the necessary measures to prepare for future missions, whenever and wherever necessary.”
The Israeli army plans to head to Rafah after completing Khan Yunis. The army had repositioned itself in Khan Yunis in apparent preparation for moving towards Rafah, according to what Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant said on Thursday.
In contrast, the “Al-Qassam Brigades” affiliated with “Hamas” and the “Al-Quds Brigades” affiliated with “Jihad” confirmed that they were engaged in clashes with the forces invading multiple axes, targeting soldiers, and destroying vehicles and tanks.
Al-Qassam broadcasted pictures of the Khan Yunis battles, showing close-range attacks against the Israeli army and “sniping” of soldiers.
Rain flooded the tents of the displaced in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, on Friday (AFP)
If the Israeli army continues its attack towards the Rafah border, this will mean a decision to proceed with a confrontation with Egypt, which fears that the attack on Rafah may include control of the Philadelphia border axis and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to Egypt, issues that Egypt has warned that it will not allow.
Rafah is the last stronghold of Hamas that the Israeli forces did not enter, and its invasion by the army will mean the end of the extensive ground maneuver, followed by withdrawal to buffer zones, awaiting a comprehensive agreement.
Satellite images showed a new demolition operation along a one-kilometer-deep path on the Gaza Strip border with Israel, according to an analysis conducted by the American Associated Press and expert reports.
This demolition comes at a time when Israel says it wants to create a buffer zone there, despite the objections of the international community, which will further divide the Palestinian territories.
Israeli forces on the border with the Gaza Strip, Friday (AP)
The demolition along this route represents only a small portion of the larger damage caused by the war on Gaza, which an assessment indicates has damaged or completely destroyed half of the buildings in the coastal enclave.
Officials in Israel recently indicated their desire to create a buffer zone as a defensive measure that might prevent a repeat of the October 7 attack, despite American warnings not to reduce the area of Gaza.
The Israeli army refused to answer whether it was establishing a buffer zone when the Associated Press asked it about that, saying only that it was “taking many necessary measures to implement a defense plan that would provide better security for southern Israel.” However, he acknowledged the demolition of buildings throughout the Strip.
An Israeli government official, whose name was not mentioned by the agency, said that a “temporary security buffer zone” is under construction.
Gaza’s borders with Israel are about 60 kilometers, and the establishment of this buffer zone cuts off about 60 square kilometers from the Gaza Strip, whose total area is approximately 360 square kilometers.
The pictures show massive destruction of buildings and razed lands in an area of about six square kilometers in some areas, and a little more than four kilometers in other border areas.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement, “Israel is continuing to implement its occupation and colonial projects in the Gaza Strip, and recently it has begun to implement a plan for what it calls buffer zones on the borders of the Gaza Strip.” As for the senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim, he said that the movement is “determined not to allow this to happen.”
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2024-02-02 23:32:01
