Israel-Palestine War Day 21: "Maximum Troop Deployment Signals Imminent Ground Battle"

As the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas enters its 21st day, analyses are increasingly suggesting that Israel's large-scale ground offensive is imminent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated plans for a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip but avoided direct comments on the timing and scale.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 26th (local time), citing senior Israeli officials and military authorities, that the Israeli military is gathering near the Gaza border and preparing to move. Although hostage release negotiations mediated by Qatar continue, reports of Israel deploying a large ground force persist.

Within Israel, discussions continue regarding the scale and timing of the ground offensive. IDF spokesperson Richard Hecht stated that the military and government are balancing the necessity of ground operations with efforts to rescue hostages, adding, "The hostage release negotiations are a critical consideration for the timing of the ground offensive."

Meanwhile, the US CNN network pointed out that a full-scale invasion of Gaza would carry enormous political risks both domestically and internationally for Israel, assessing that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, known for his risk-averse approach, is unlikely to decide on a ground offensive soon. In a TV address the previous day, Netanyahu said, "We are preparing for a ground invasion," reiterating the plan for ground operations but avoided specifying "when, how, or to what extent ground forces will be deployed."

He emphasized, "We will take all possible measures to destroy Hamas's governing capabilities and bring the hostages back to our country."

Overnight, the Israeli military conducted military operations in Gaza using tanks and infantry targeting Hamas and its infrastructure before withdrawing. IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Daniel Hagari stated that limited ground raids in Gaza would be "carried out more forcefully tonight and in the coming days." Foreign media assessed this midnight raid as the largest ground operation since the conflict began, indicating that a large-scale ground deployment by the Israeli military is imminent.

After Hamas's surprise attack on the 7th, Israel declared the destruction of Hamas and immediately launched retaliatory operations. The Israeli military, which has concentrated hundreds of thousands of troops near the Gaza border and continues indiscriminate airstrikes, announced plans for a large-scale ground deployment and issued evacuation orders to Gaza residents. Despite multiple evacuation notices, many residents remain in Gaza with nowhere to go, raising concerns that intense fighting following the start of ground operations could result in numerous civilian casualties.

On the 26th (local time), residents gathered around buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The international community is urging Israel to refrain from deploying ground forces to prevent escalation into a fifth Middle East war and a surge in casualties. At the EU summit held in Brussels, Belgium, leaders of the 27 countries called for a temporary halt to military actions to establish humanitarian corridors. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the summit, "Israel is a democracy that follows humanitarian principles, and I am confident that the Israeli military will act in accordance with international law."

EU leaders are deeply concerned that escalation could heighten regional tensions, increase the risk of terrorism by Muslim factions, and exacerbate refugee inflows, further destabilizing Europe.

Following Hamas's surprise attack, Gaza civilians are suffering from shortages of food and water due to Israel's blockade, and hospitals are running out of fuel, necessitating urgent relief and evacuation efforts. If the ground offensive is delayed, Western countries could gain more time to secure the release of 220 hostages held in Gaza through Qatar and Egypt and to evacuate civilians.

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), mentioned "localized and temporary pauses on the battlefield for humanitarian aid" and said, "This idea is worth considering."

The Israeli military, which has been conducting airstrikes for three weeks, announced that by the 25th, it had bombed over 7,000 Hamas target sites in 19 days. This is the largest scale airstrike campaign Israel has ever conducted against the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, reported that the cumulative death toll has reached 7,028, including 2,913 children.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.