US urges 'Israel' against invasion, pushes for 'surgical' options
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According to US authorities, a full-scale ground assault risks escalating into a larger Middle East war and jeopardizes the lives of captives.
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An injured man sits in front of a smoldering building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike on Gaza City on October 26, 2023. (AFP)
According to The Washington Post, sources close to the negotiations have divulged that the Biden administration is urging "Israel" to reconsider its plans for a ground invasion in the Gaza Strip in favor of a more "surgical" operation involving aircraft and special operations forces carrying out precise, targeted raids on alleged Hamas targets and infrastructure.
US officials have reiterated their concerns about a ground invasion, most recently reminding the Israelis that it is still not sure they have a sound strategy for what they intend to accomplish in Gaza.
Among their main concerns are the captives and the number of casualties in Gaza, risking an escalation that could drag numerous countries into the war.
The officials added that US officials believe a targeted operation to be more effective at releasing hostages, keeping humanitarian aid flowing, and avoiding a wider war in the region.
Some believe the shift is a clear change in US support even though it has not threatened to withdraw support if the Israeli occupation forces invade Gaza.
The IOF announced Friday a sea-launched raid against southern Gaza against "Hamas military infrastructure."
According to US authorities, such operations are a key component of "Israel's" effort to "eradicate" Hamas. However, "Israel" has framed them as "preparations for the next stages of combat," implying a full-fledged ground invasion.
Gaza invasion would be detrimental to Israeli capabilities: Media
If the Israeli occupation forces decide to invade Gaza right now, their capabilities would greatly deteriorate as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad prepared themselves very well militarily, Israeli Channel 7 quoted IOF Reserve Major General Yitzhak Brick as saying.
"Long before the attack on the Gaza envelope, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad prepared IEDs and mines, among other traps, and anti-armor equipment," Brick said on Tuesday.
Hamas' dream scenario is a ground invasion of Gaza, Chatham House research center said, adding that the Palestinian Resistance has long prepared for a ground invasion that could last for years.
The institute also said the Israeli occupation must be cautious in light of the heavy, indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, which could kill Israeli captives.
It also reminded that the high death toll of Palestinian civilians could also weaken the support of key Israeli allies while also stocking anti-Israeli sentiment in the region.
IRGC chief warns 'Israel' of Gaza ground invasion
The Israeli military was forewarned by Major General Hossein Salami, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), that a ground attack in Gaza would destroy its infantry.
"There is no way for the enemies to win in Palestine and they can do nothing else but aerial bombing. If they do anything on the ground, the Gaza dragon will eat them alive," the IRGC Commander said on Thursday, during a ceremony in Mashhad, stressing that Gaza will be "Israel's graveyard".
He then warned that the Israelis and their Western supporters would eventually face the anger of Muslims, saying that Western powers are fully assisting the Israeli occupation in carrying out its atrocities in the besieged Gaza Strip.
