Mr. Netanyahu known as the Hamas video “merciless psychological warfare.”
Hamas is ready for a protracted, bloody battle, and its fighters have turned Gaza right into a labyrinth of tunnels, stocked with weapons and meals. Among the hostages are hidden within the tunnels, a lot of that are probably booby-trapped.
After pounding Gaza and its folks with artillery and bombs, the Israeli military moved in on Friday. Up to now, the Israeli navy has superior to the outskirts of Gaza Metropolis however not entered the Hamas stronghold. Fierce city combating is predicted once they do.
Rob Saale, the previous head of the F.B.I.-led Hostage Restoration Fusion Cell, stated Israel was going through an unprecedented state of affairs.
“There are not any straightforward options,” Mr. Saale stated. “I believe the Israelis are pursuing the proper course. You possibly can’t let the hostages dictate what you’re doing. Persevering with to place a number of stress on Hamas might be one of the best ways to get them again. Hamas isn’t going to free hostages from a place of power.”
Lt. Gen. Mark C. Schwartz, a retired Particular Operations commander who previously served as U.S. safety coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, stated that Israel has probably embedded commandos inside its advancing floor models in order that they will act rapidly in the event that they obtain recent intelligence on hostage areas.
Different former senior officers who’ve served fight excursions within the Center East painted a grim image of making an attempt to get better the hostages — both via negotiations or navy rescue — as Israeli forces pushed deeper into Gaza.
Gen. Richard D. Clarke, a retired head of the U.S. Particular Operations Command, stated the circumstances in Gaza — an energetic struggle zone, the big variety of hostages, scarce intelligence on their actual areas and Hamas’s preparations to defend in opposition to an Israeli assault — make any hostage restoration operation “extraordinarily difficult.”
“Getting the hostages out shall be very troublesome,” stated Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., a retired head of the U.S. navy’s Central Command. “Hamas will attempt to create dilemmas for the Israelis — placing them close to command posts, rocket launching websites and ammo dumps — so long as they will.”
The three generals all predicted a prolonged battle, presumably taking months.
“I don’t assume Hamas will fold,” stated Basic Schwartz. “They need to kill Israeli troopers, and I anticipate there to be brutal combating.”
Yair Golan, a former deputy chief of workers within the Israel Protection Forces who helped rescue partygoers at a music competition that was attacked on Oct. 7, stated the hostages need to be a precedence as Israel conducts the struggle in opposition to Hamas.