– Israel has no plans to hand over the area to the Palestinians again, says Gideon Levy. He is a commentator in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Around 5,000 Hamas fighters are said to have reorganized in northern Gaza, according to the Israeli military (IDF). On Sunday 6 October, the IDF went in with tanks to fight them, again. Displaced Palestinians flee from Jabalia in northern Gaza following an Israeli evacuation order on October 6, 2024. Photo: Hussam Al-Zaanin / Reuters At the same time, the Israelis ordered Palestinian civilians to leave northern Gaza. – I am absolutely certain that they will not withdraw from northern Gaza. And if the IDF stays there, they don’t want civilians in the area, says Levy by phone from Israel. The IDF has attacked several places in northern Gaza and is now pressuring Palestinians to flee south of the red line. Palestinians walk through a bombed-out Jabalia in northern Gaza, February 2024. Photo: Mahmoud Issa / Reuters In 1967, Israeli forces entered Gaza, and occupied the entire 40 kilometer coastal strip. Israeli settlers established a total of 21 settlements scattered throughout Gaza. At most, between 7,000 and 8,000 settlers lived in Gaza, protected by up to 20,000 Israeli soldiers. Israeli settlers occupied parts of the Gaza Strip for 38 years, between 1967 and 2005. Many settlers demonstrated against their own government when they had to leave Gaza. The picture was taken on Wednesday 9 March 2005. Photo: TSAFRIR ABAYOV / AP After many years of clashes between the settlers and the Palestinians, then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew the Israeli settlements. The cost of occupying land inside the Gaza Strip had become too high, both politically and militarily. Gaza 2005: An armed Jewish settler and a child on the beach near the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the southern Gaza Strip, May 24, 2005. Photo: KEVIN FRAYER / AP Using scaled-down plan to “clean up” northern Gaza In September, retired Maj.-Gen. in the IDF Giora Island a plan to get all Palestinians out of northern Gaza, to the south. He stated in a TV campaign that the area should be turned into a “closed military zone”. Here, the IDF will be able to fight the remaining 5,000 Hamas fighters. Everyone who chose to stay behind, Eiland believed, should be considered legitimate military targets. According to a report published in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the Israeli military is now implementing a “downscaled version” of Eiland’s plan in northern Gaza. Ex-general in the IDF Giora Eiland believes that when northern Gaza is cleared of civilians, Hamas will only have two options: “surrender – or starve.” Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news The question is what will happen if Israel again fortifies itself in this area, and removes all the Palestinians there. Jørgen Jensehaugen, researcher at Prio takes a dark view of the situation: – The best case scenario is that we go back to the way it was before the war. But with a stronger control of the Gaza Strip. Jørgen Jensehaugen believes that Israeli forces are planning to turn the whole of Gaza into separate zones, and empty Gaza City of people. Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich / news – Worst case is total displacement. That a total razing of Gaza is carried out. That you drive the Palestinians out, and then Gaza’s population becomes refugees again. I think we have to be completely honest about what is the worst case. It’s really dark. – They start with a synagogue – They first want to build a synagogue. Then, a little later a new synagogue. They have their methods and no one will stop them. I am sure they will not withdraw from northern Gaza. Unless they are threatened. This tactic has support in Netanyahu’s government, says Levy. He believes that even if the US objects to Israel reoccupying Gaza, there is little indication that the US will put its foot down. Photo: Ksenia Novikova / news – The realization for Israel after a year of war is that they can overlook the American administration. The US clearly said that Israel should not invade Rafah, but Israel ignored it. The US nevertheless maintained the diplomatic umbrella over Israel and continued to send arms. – The only arena where the US is still relevant is when it comes to Iran. There, the Israelis need the US much more, concludes Levy. The Israeli embassy has not responded to news’s inquiry about this matter. Published 13.10.2024, at 09.06
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Israel re-enters northern Gaza – possible reoccupation experts say – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
