’Israel’ Has Exhausted All Options: How to Retreat Now?

By Yehya Dbouk, Al-Akhbar Newspaper

Five “Israeli” military divisions are fighting against several thousand Hamas fighters and other Palestinian resistance factions in the Gaza Strip. But 68 days into the war, “Israel” has only recorded limited tactical successes on the battlefield and failed to achieve all of its declared or undeclared strategic objectives.

On the other hand, Hamas remains steadfast in its defensive position and is forcing “Israel” to pay a high price in parallel to its slow progress on the battlefield. The resistance movement is pushing “Israel” to retreat along several points of engagement along the frontline where the Palestinian fighters have the upper hand. This includes areas in both northern and southern Gaza and the city of Khan Yunis and its camp.

The “Israeli” military appears to be done nibbling on the edges of those centers of gravity, specifically in northern Gaza and is now hoping to achieve some form of breach.

However, day after day, the “Israelis” are forced to retreat as soon as the resistance fighters begin to hunt down their military vehicles and soldiers in ambushes and using explosive devices. And even though, the “Israelis” aren’t deploying a great number of troops for fear of being hunted down, the Palestinian fighters are still managing to kill and capture soldiers and officers.

Furthermore, the heavy bombardment and widespread destruction of Gaza make the task more difficult for the “Israeli” army, especially since the positions of the resistance fighters are underground, and destroying buildings is of no use. All it does is offer more cover. This is one of the main obstacles to “Israeli” ground maneuvering at more than one location. It also results in direct contact with the resistance fighters.

As a result, the reality on the battlefield is completely different from what is being circulated on “Israeli” television channels that are talking about an imminent victory in Gaza, before they return to humility and talk about the necessity of lowering the high expectations and bringing them closer to something more achievable.

Perhaps it is worth repeating here that five divisions of the “Israeli” army, including elite brigades with different names and specializations, as well as special units that are the “elite of the elite” in the “Israeli” army, are fighting several thousand Palestinian resistance fighters in a very limited geographical area. This clearly shows the extent of the Palestinian military achievement in the third month of fighting.

There are no new developments on the political front other than the fact that the “Israeli” side has become aware that the goals it announced in the beginning are unachievable. However, the “Israeli” dilemma, at this stage, doesn’t only revolve around the unrealistic objectives but the predicament that “Israel” cannot retreat without achieving those objectives.

Against this background, the prevailing opinion among decision-makers in “Israel” is that continuing the war is better than stopping it. This is true in every respect and perhaps incomparably so.

That’s why the “Israelis” are working on more of the same, with the hope that something will be achieved and pave the way for the third phase of the ground operation, which is consistent with what the American sponsor wants - to withdraw from places of direct contact and continue fighting from afar. This is said to begin several weeks from now, and the Americans are working on marketing the plan that is the result of their pressure.

This is a new form of war that is being worked on – reducing the intensity of the fighting and continuing it in accordance with the requirements of the solution that is intended to be imposed on the Palestinians. The battlefield is the pressure card to help the negotiators impose the “Israeli” will.

On the other hand, the other side has no intention of retreating, and the resistance fighters do not find anything to motivate them to do so, which makes their mission much clearer than it is for the “Israelis”.

In short, the resistance will continue fighting. It will wait for the enemy to retreat while making the “Israelis” trying to breach the frontline as well as those in the rear pay a heavy price. It will not withdraw from its commitment not to release prisoners until after a complete ceasefire is declared and under an exchange agreement. It will also reject any arrangement in the Gaza Strip that is not compatible with Palestinian interests the day after the war.

As for “Israel”, it has achieved all that can be accomplished. However, it cannot, with the American sponsor behind it, end the war now based on the facts on the ground and what has been entrenched in the collective consciousness of both parties and their supporters.

The solution is therefore intractable, both militarily and politically. The developments on the battlefield do not point to any possibility of change anytime soon. If the above is accurate, then declaring victory, like declaring defeat, will be postponed, even if the characteristic of failure continues to accompany the “Israeli” army along the way.