There is now a public debate over whether the IDF is ready for a ground invasion of Gaza and what is behind the delay in launching it, if indeed there is such a delay. The Times of Israel notes this morning that the Biden administration is reportedly concerned that Israel lacks achievable military goals for its operations in Gaza, leading U.S. officials to believe that the IDF is not yet ready for a ground incursion. TOI cites a New York Times report on Oct. 23 that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been talking to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant by phone almost every day, stressing “the importance of carefully considering how IDF troops conduct the incursion in Gaza, where terrorists will operate from tunnels and densely populated areas.”
“Urban combat is extremely difficult. It goes at a slow pace,” Austin said on ABC News’ Sunday broadcast of “This Week” on Oct. 22. This may be a bit more difficult because of the underground network of tunnels that Hamas has constructed over time and the fact that they have had a long time to prepare for a fight. Earlier, TOI reported that the IDF believes that, in order to attain the objectives of the war against Hamas, laid out by government officials, the military must begin its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip sooner rather than later. After 16 days of airstrikes, the IDF says it is fully prepared for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and believes it can achieve its goals, even at the risk of heavy casualties, and amid repeated attacks by Hezbollah in the north, TOI said, without citing sources.
Regarding the 222 confirmed hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip, the military is preparing for possible rescue operations amid the ground offensive, according to information seen by TOI. The military fears that further hostage releases by Hamas—two more hostages were released yesterday—could prompt the political leadership to delay a ground incursion or even halt it midway. The military is looking to the government to decide soon on the ground offensive, as the forces stationed by the border can only remain in a heightened state of readiness for so long.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says that ground forces are “very well prepared” for an offensive in the Gaza Strip. “We want to bring Hamas to a point of disintegration. Its leadership, its military wing. That is why we attack with great force. We are killing senior commanders, killing operatives, destroying infrastructure, and acting with great determination,” Halevi told commanders of the 146th Division in northern Israel. As for the supposed delay: “There are tactical, operative, and strategic considerations, which gave us more time. and forces that have more time prepare better, and this is what the forces are doing now,” he said.
