Israel has called up tens of thousands of reservists in advance of plans to capture — and this time hold — all of the Gaza Strip, should Hamas refuse to agree to a cease-fire by May 16.
The escalation is understandable; indeed, almost inescapable: What other choice does Israel have?
Hamas won’t agree to any serious deal short of a permanent end to the war that allows it to survive and maintain its death-grip on Gaza — which it has vowed time and again to use to stage more Oct. 7, 2023-style attacks on the Jewish state.
So Israel can’t permanently halt the war with Hamas in control of Gaza, yet no other nation has offered a realistic plan to end the Hamas threat, nor to govern Gaza.
So Jerusalem is giving Hamas one last chance to agree to permanently surrender control of the strip, or to get a temporary cease-fire if it frees the last hostages, including an American, Edan Alexander.
If Hamas doesn’t bite by the time President Donald Trump wraps up his Middle East trip next week, the IDF will once again order evacuations, starting in Gaza’s north, and systematically clear and retake control of all Gaza.
The Jewish state would then hold those areas indefinitely to prevent Hamas’ return — though a government spokesman says the plan isn’t meant to produce a permanent occupation.
Operation Gideon’s Chariots will roll out gradually, but won’t stop until Jerusalem controls all of Gaza — and Hamas has no place to hide. Good.
Israel will also seek to deprive the terror group of humanitarian aid, which it has used to maintain its control over Gaza’s population. And it vows to destroy Hamas infrastructure and target its leaders.
All this will help force the release of the remaining hostages, or pave the way for their rescue by IDF forces.
Israeli military officials believe now is the time to “launch the concluding moves” of the war, explained Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
No one with any compassion wants the war in Gaza to drag on, but Israel can’t end by accepting an eternal threat of periodic Oct. 7-style massacres.
Hamas still needs to be eliminated and Gaza secured; with the full support of the US president, Israel now has a chance to do that.
It’s time to get it done.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
