Israeli ground invasion of Gaza is not going well, costs are high: WSJ
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The newspaper cites Israeli officials as warning that criticism in the military and security circles is growing over the costly strategy that the IOF is conducting.
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The building where the Golani officers and soldiers were killed in the Al-Qassam ambush in the al-Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 (social media)
The recent Israeli ground losses in Gaza indicate that the military's overarching goal to incapacitate Hamas and its ability to harm Israelis remains out of reach, even in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, which has been the main focus of the army's offensive since the beginning of the war, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper pointed out that the increasing number of Israeli casualties reflects a shift in military warfare tactics, with a greater emphasis on urban and ground combat.
Read more: Palestinian Resistance ambushes invading Israeli forces in Jabalia
According to the Israeli military, since launching the ground war, 115 soldiers and officers have been killed, and approximately 600 have been wounded in Gaza. This is the highest number of casualties the occupation army has ever suffered in previous wars against the Palestinian Resistance in the Strip.
Commenting on the situation on the battlefield, former Israeli intelligence official Shalom Ben Hanan said that carrying out military operations from house to house and “checking things from up close instead of destroying them from far away” comes at a price for Israeli forces.
In military and security internal discussions, some have begun to question this strategy, he noted
“I’m already hearing criticism that it’s not OK, and we have to fight differently, that we have to fight in a way that is safer for IDF soldiers,” he disclosed, adding that they are asking “if it is essential to battle this way, versus with tanks and planes.”
Read more: War on Gaza leaves 'Israel', US politically isolated
Golani senior officers ambushed
On early Wednesday, Israeli occupation forces acknowledged that 10 of its troops were killed in battles in northern Gaza on Tuesday, including officers and soldiers of its elite Golani Brigade.
Among the list was the commander of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, who was killed in an ambush by Al-Qassam in the al-Shujaiya neighborhood.
According to a Haaretz report, the Palestinian Resistance had engaged in fierce combat with the Golani force, drawing them into a booby-trapped building, detonating it, and taking out several soldiers in the bombing. The Al-Qassam fighters then ambushed two other teams that were dispatched to the location, killing and wounding a number of them.
Worst Day for IOF since October 7
Israeli Maariv military correspondent described what happened as being a "well-executed ambush."
"The Golani force, which was present there initially, came under heavy gunfire. During the rescue operation, the unit which arrived also came under heavy gunfire, and as a result, the unit entered the booby-trapped building," the Israeli correspondent explained, adding that "the injuries were severe, and part of the building collapsed on the Israeli forces inside."
"This morning is the toughest since the start of the war, and the incident was very difficult," the Channel 12 anchor expressed.
