Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments that the intense phase of fighting in Gaza was about to end essentially confirmed what has become increasingly clear in the past few months.
The Israeli army has portrayed its current operation in the southern city of Rafah as its last major ground offensive in Gaza.
It went ahead, despite concerted international opposition, involving Israeli strikes that have killed large numbers of Palestinian civilians. However, it has not seen the relentless level of bombardment that characterized earlier assaults on Gaza City and Khan Younis.
Israeli forces, backed by tanks, are still battling with Palestinian fighters in the west of Rafah, while the army continues to demolish swathes of buildings in the city.
The IDF has stated that it has severely degraded three of the four Hamas battalions remaining in Rafah, which was Israel’s main aim. This holds out the possibility that the army may soon declare the operation complete.
None of this has been any solace to the people of Gaza. There’s been little or no respite for them. Casualty figures from the health ministry in Gaza – run by Hamas – still record around 40 to 60 deaths a day.
Israel is carrying out strikes every day elsewhere in Gaza – both in the north and in the center. There is no current prospect of an end to this. Key to Mr. Netanyahu’s strategy in Gaza is the freedom for Israel to mount attacks when and where it considers necessary, even if at some point all its troops have been withdrawn from the enclave.
In Washington, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has been discussing with top US officials what he himself called Phase C – the third, less intensive stage – of Israel’s campaign from relatively early on in the conflict.
He told the US special envoy Amos Hochstein in one of his first meetings during his four-day visit that the transition to Phase C would “impact developments on all fronts, and that Israel was preparing for every scenario both militarily and diplomatically.”
That message is one he will have continued to drive home in subsequent discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.