Israel planning new Gaza City op in March, but will need okay from Trump — officials |
The Israel Defense Forces has drawn up plans to launch renewed intensive military operations in Gaza in March, with an offensive targeting Gaza City aimed at expanding the part of the Strip controlled by Israel, an Israeli official and an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel on Saturday.
The comments came as the IDF said three Gazans were killed in military strikes after allegedly approaching troops stationed along the Yellow Line ceasefire demarcation, which would be pushed westward toward the coast under the plan.
The Arab diplomat said that the operation will not be able to go forward without the support of the US, which is still trying to advance the fragile ceasefire reached in October to a second phase that includes Hamas’s disarmament.
While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed during his meeting with Trump last month to cooperate with efforts to advance the ceasefire, he does not believe that they will be successful in disarming Hamas and has accordingly directed the IDF to prepare for a contingency plan, the Arab diplomat said.
On the first day of the ceasefire on October 10, Israeli forces pulled back to the Yellow Line, leaving them in control of roughly 53 percent of the Strip. The Gaza City operation planned for March........