Former Israeli Official Warns Of Attacks In Gaza City Becomes Emptying Tactics

Israeli military operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Former Israeli intelligence, security and political officials said what was originally a step to suppress Hamas could end up mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza, as Israel moves forward to occupy Gaza.

"This could be a tactic to put pressure on Hamas, but it could also be Netanyahu-Ben Gvir-Smotrich's real plan to vacate Gaza and place Israelis in their place," former hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin told The National as quoted August 22.

What he meant were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and two far-right politicians, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Israel on Wednesday intensified attacks on Gaza City, where at least 1 million people or half of Gaza's population live.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began by issuing an "evacuation order", forcibly moving people from homes and their emergency tents in the enclave, where at least nine out of 10 people have fled.

The Israeli Cabinet has approved plans to take over Gaza City, which will effectively retake the entire Gaza region 20 years after Israel withdrew and dismantled settlements.

At the same time, Israel is giving final approval for a settlement expansion project in the occupied West Bank, which is said to destroy hopes for the Palestinian state. The project is also seen as a pressure tactic against Western countries moving towards Palestinian recognition.

A planning committee on Wednesday signed the construction of 3,400 houses in a plot of land east of Jerusalem known as E1. The construction will effectively divide the West Bank by connecting the region with a large nearby settlement, Ma'ale Adumim.

"Regardless of whether the Gaza City plan begins with the intention of scaring Hamas, the results are real and will encourage the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip by moving them to the southwest of Gaza," Bashkin said.

The southern region is already so densely populated that 40,000 people live at every square kilometer, according to UN data.

"Israel wants to create tremendous pressure there and wait for its explosion; and people cross the border to Sinai and carry out ethnic cleansing in Gaza," Baskin said.

Israel's progress towards Gaza City, and the increasing attacks and killings, came while a deal brokered by the United States mediated by Egypt and Qatar was awaiting Israeli approval after receiving the green light from Hamas.

Hamas has provided several concessions at the initial version of the agreement, including lifting written guarantee demands from the US the deal will lead to a permanent ceasefire and Hamas' approval to place troops in Gaza under UN surveillance to keep security.

Hamas has basically agreed to a very similar version of the deal that Israel has agreed to. However, delays in Israel's response are still happening.

"Benjamin Netanyahu is not interested in the deal, as he is fully committed to a comprehensive strategy to destroy the two-state solution, first in Gaza and then the West Bank," Eran Etzion, former head of Israel's National Security Council at the Prime Minister's office, told The National.

Etzion believes the Prime Minister of Israel is guided by his personal and political advantages through continued aggression in Gaza, regardless of the death toll of Palestine, which has surpassed 62,000, as well as the fate of the remaining hostages in the grip of Hamas.

"His true view of the hostages is 'additional damage', and he views their political release as a political threat," Etzion added.

With Netanyahu resisting increased internal pressure, from the streets, to the hostages' families and members of the government, the only way to stop him from moving forward will not come from within Israel, said former head of Israel's Security Agency, Ami Ayalon.

"The idea of conquering Gaza comes as a means of pressure, but now, without external intervention, to me it seems to be a terrible reality. America can stop it, and they have the power to do it," he said.