Hamas is interested in civilian casualties on both sides, explains Yaron.
October 13, 2023 | 13:38 minAfter the bloody attack by Islamist Hamas, an Israeli ground offensive is expected soon. Israeli journalist and expert on the conflict in the Middle East, Gil Yaron, explains live on ZDFheute how well prepared the Israeli army is and what the situation is like for affected civilians.
Watch the full interview in the video above or read excerpts here:
…what role do civilian casualties play for Hamas
“Hamas is interested in civilian casualties on both sides,” explains Yaron. On the Israeli side, they are interested in civilian casualties in order to weaken and wear down Israel.
Riad Othman of Medico International reports that people in the Gaza Strip are fleeing to places where there are no longer supplies. He fears an outbreak of cholera and typhus.
October 13, 2023 | 07:22 minutes
In the Gaza Strip, they attacked civilians for a different reason:
Here she wants to portray herself as a victim and portray the Israelis as aggressors.
Gil Yaron, Israeli journalist and Middle East specialist
The more Palestinians die in the Gaza Strip, the greater the international pressure will be on Israel to end military operations against Hamas and the greater the chances that Hamas will survive the military operation, says Yaron. “That’s a very cold calculation.”
…how well Israel is prepared for a ground offensive
According to Yaron, one of the reasons why the land offensive has not yet taken place is that all plans are now being specifically reviewed and rehearsed. We also look at how you can minimize your own number of victims.
After the Hamas attack, the Israeli ground offensive appears to be getting closer. Israel calls on civilians to leave northern Gaza and head south.
October 13, 2023 | 01:36 minutes
The Israeli army’s best equipment would be useless in many ways. “If you have to go into a tunnel to find Hamas, an F-16 fighter-bomber won’t help you and the latest Israeli tank won’t help you either. ”
These are very difficult fighting conditions that the Israelites face.
Gil Yaron, Israeli journalist
Tunnels in Gaza are an important part of Hamas’ strategy. “Hamas has essentially tunneled under the entire Gaza Strip.” The terrorist organization covered kilometers of tunnels in the ground, explains the journalist.
That’s where their ammunition factories are located. That’s where their weapons depots are, their command centers.
Gil Yaron, Middle East specialist
The tunnels were also used to surprise and attack Israeli troops in ambushes, says Yaron. A fight in these tunnels is therefore very difficult for the attacker.
…what consequences the success of an Israeli ground offensive would have
The Middle East expert has a clear opinion on this:
This does not resolve any of the conflicts in the Middle East, including that between Israelis and Palestinians.
Gil Yaron, Israeli journalist
The reason Israel has not yet wanted to conquer the Gaza Strip is that, as a result, it is responsible for every aspect of the lives of 2.3 million Palestinians:
Suddenly, the Israeli army is responsible for your education, your healthcare, your electricity, your water and your trash collection.
Gil Yaron, Israeli journalist
Apparently, Hamas is preventing some Palestinian civilians from fleeing northern Gaza. Michael analyzes it in detail.
October 13, 2023 | 01:28 minutes
Nobody in Israel wants this, because it is clear that if the Israelis were to start taking care of the issue, they would also become the target of attacks by the surviving members of Hamas. In this regard, this is probably one of the issues that the Israeli cabinet is discussing.