MEZIESBLOG

Israel has “tightened the noose” around Gaza City, according to our security and military analyst Sean Bell.

But once they push into its urban environment, the IDF will face “its most difficult phase”, he said.

He said he expects an infantry-led operation to take place in the city within 24 to 48 hours, assisted by drone reconnaissance and air support.

“But the urban environment is incredibly dangerous and it favours the defence rather than offence,” he said.

“Often you get five times as many casualties if you’re on the offence as on the defence, and that’s without even talking about the Gaza metro, this labyrinth of tunnels underneath.”

Challenges facing the IDF

Hamas’s tunnel network is just one problem facing Israeli forces, Bell said.

“Most Hamas fighters “will not actually be uniform” so it will be difficult to tell them apart from civilians,

‘Unfortunately, in those sorts of environments, you often end up shooting first and asking questions later.’

‘There will also need to be a great deal of coordination between the IDF airforce and its ground troops, who will rely on precise bombing very close to their positions.’ he added..

‘If they have got Hamas hunkered in a building, the infantry could go in, but that would be incredibly dangerous. Artillery doesn’t really work in a city, so then you have to call in air support.’

Finally, it is not clear what happens when the conflict is over, Bell said, and “the humanitarian situation is spiralling out of control”.

“It’s not entirely clear what the military objective is, is it to wipe out all of Hamas, when some of them will already have fled south? Is it to seize the city?”