Israel Prepares Massive Ground Maneuver in Gaza Amid Claims of 20,000 Hamas Fighters

Watan-One day after the killing of an Israeli soldier and the injury of others, the Israeli news site Ynet reported on Sunday, citing military sources, that Hamas “retains 20,000 fighters preparing for the possibility of a renewed ground operation. However, it continues to carry out limited attacks when opportunities arise or when it senses a threat to key assets, such as tunnels.”

According to preliminary Israeli investigations, Hamas fighters emerged from a tunnel opening and launched an RPG at an Israeli military vehicle, then detonated an explosive device as a rescue unit arrived to assist the wounded. This resulted in the killing of tracker Galeb Nsasrah and the injury of another soldier.

This incident marked the second time in a week that fighters emerged from a tunnel opening to confront occupying forces stationed in the “buffer zone.” In the first incident, according to Ynet, the fighters confronted a force from the 401st Brigade, which is tasked with expanding the “security zone” in the Daraj and Tuffah neighborhoods opposite Kibbutz Kfar Aza. During that encounter, Israel assassinated the fighters.

Israeli Army Plans Major Ground Maneuver to Split Gaza Strip

Separately, the Walla news site noted that the Israeli army is preparing for a “massive maneuver” in the Gaza Strip, including a ground operation aimed at cutting off geographic links between Gaza’s cities. This is part of “a new strategy aimed at undermining Hamas’s ability to continue governing the Strip,” while also applying pressure on its leaders to release hostages.

Although no active battles are currently taking place in Gaza, and what has happened since the collapse of the ceasefire amounts to ongoing extermination, starvation, and thirst imposed on Palestinians, various Israeli media outlets have published reports claiming that Hamas still has between 20,000 and 30,000 fighters. These claims appear to be part of a propaganda campaign designed to justify expanding the war and enlisting more reservists—despite mounting calls to end the war and release the captives, and growing resentment among soldiers and reservists over bearing the burden alone.

These reports came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated familiar rhetoric, vowing not to stop the war or withdraw from Gaza until achieving “military victory,” and declaring that there would be no prisoner exchange deal under the current conditions.

Returning to the Walla report, the site mentioned that the Israeli army continues its operations across various parts of Gaza, launching attacks by sea, air, and land. It stated that “the army’s new strategy involves splitting the Strip into two parts and stripping Hamas of more than 50% of the territory it currently controls.” Currently, Israeli forces control the Morag axis, additional parts of Rafah, and the Daraj and Tuffah neighborhoods.

Israeli Ministers Push for Full Gaza Occupation Amid Plans for Massive Ground Operation

The site also quoted a security source as saying, “The military pressure is intended to force Hamas back to the negotiating table,” adding that the army is carefully coordinating with the Directorate of Prisoners and Missing Persons Affairs to avoid operations in areas suspected of housing captives. It is worth noting that Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, previously said they had lost contact with the captors of Israeli-American soldier Aidan Alexander, whose fate is unknown after an Israeli airstrike targeted the location where he was being held.

Meanwhile, the report noted that the large-scale ground operation “requires wide-scale reservist recruitment and the redeployment of military units from fronts such as Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank.” It added that during the operation, “American private companies will be tasked with distributing aid to residents in an effort to undermine Hamas’s civil authority.”

In a related context, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip. Following Netanyahu’s speech, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that if necessary, a military government should be established in the Strip, saying, “This is the way to ensure our security and bring back the captives.” Addressing Netanyahu directly, he said, “Mr. Prime Minister, your remarks this evening about the need to end this war with victory have a clear meaning: we must change the war’s approach and move toward the full occupation of Gaza without fear, if needed.”

As for National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, he said, “We will continue the war to destroy Hamas, we will deny them fuel and electricity, and we will maintain military pressure,” adding, “Military pressure—not surrender agreements—is what will bring the captives back.”