Imminent Invasion of Gaza to Wipe Out Hamas
The outcry generated within Israel and all over the world by the inhuman barbarism of Hamas terrorists on 7th Oct 23 has made Israeli Govt determined that they will wipe out Hamas. Air strikes on Hamas positions were already started the next day and the ground invasion seems to be imminent.
IDF calls Civilians to Vacate Northern Gaza, Hamas Wants them as Shield
Israel had given 24 hrs to the civilians of northern Gaza to vacate their dwellings and move out to southern Gaza under an imminent invasion by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). This deadline was extended by 6 hrs on the request of the UN Secy Gen Mr Guterres. It is important to note that the major establishment of Hamas terror networks are within the underground tunnels that runs for over 1000 km and most of which open inside dwellings occupied by civilians, some being multi-storey. Some of these tunnels have been destroyed by the IDF in past but numerous others have been created as shown below.
Hamas terrorists are largely intermingled with the civilians for their habitat, provisions and services. It uses civilians as their foot workers for various services. Those terrorists also use women the next doors as their temporary wives and many children are linked to their families. On the other hand, the Islamic clerics play important role in brainwashing the civilian population to help and assist those terrorists that they say, are serving to the cause of Islam. As a result, many civilians working for the terrorists may not move out. This will enable Hamas to make propaganda of civilian casualties on any or every Israeli strikes on those dwellings inhabited by them or constructed over the openings of their tunnels.
IDF is well aware of the complexities of taking on to Hamas which is largely assimilated…both for their habitat underneath their dwellings and obtaining various supplies and services. It was the responsibility of the political & administrative wings of Hamas which is in power, to make arrangements for moving out the civilian population but instead, they are asking the people not to move so as to become human shields.
Difficulties in Ground Invasion
It is for sure that IDF will invade to neutralise Hamas after their barbarism on Israeli territories on 7th Oct 23 knowing well that it will not be a cakewalk. Hamas is well entrenched, both underground and in the high-rise buildings where they have war equipment positioned. IDF forces, their Tanks and APCs will be vulnerable to direct attacks from close ranges unless they sanitise the inhabitation and the tunnels alike. If they don’t flatten those buildings, they may sustain high casualties just like the Russians sustained in Ukraine. Surely, IDF will be unwilling for it. Their aircraft, tanks, artilleries and missiles will do it. IDF has limited military manpower and equipment and will be unwilling to sacrifice to Hamas designs.
Every expert in Defence matters are aware of how lethal it could be invading a well-entrenched enemy esp terrorist organisations which don’t follow any law of engagement. Most of the Russian losses of Armoured & artilleries were due to the shoulder fired rockets and missiles from the adjacent buildings. In Gaza, it is even worse situation owing to the densely constructed dwellings and narrow streets. Hence, IDF in all probabilities, will flatten such buildings to block their entry/exits to and from the openings of hundreds of tunnels. There could be anti-tank mines, booby traps, ditches, fortified trenches and bunkers that could inflict severe losses on invading forces.
Israeli Air Dominance over Gaza
The advantage Israel has is complete air dominance. Air Power doctrine dictates that if you have air dominance, you must soften the ground targets & assets of the enemy by appropriate munition. This will enable a quick run over over enemy and reduce own casualties. It will also enable their reconnaissance and predator drones to operate freely at heights above the ranges of the small arms fire, providing a clear view of all enemy and threat points. Any building housing radars and air defence or shoulder fired weapons are likely to be flattened by IDF to remove the threat. These airborne machines could also locate isolated entry points to the underground tunnels. Should any be found, will be destroyed by precision-guided munitions. High explosive munition dropped at the openings of the tunnels could be lethal for Hamas. It could create extremely high shockwaves to tear apart the terrorists within the tunnels and also explode the explosives stored within.
Gaza will be open to attacks from air, ground and sea. On the other hand, most of the artilleries in IDF inventory have ranges that can reach any part of Gaza without even crossing the border. Yet, ground forces will have to invade to kill the jihadists hiding in tunnels. Progress on ground by the IDF is likely to be very slow to minimise casualties although they would try to accomplish the task as soon as possible to ward-off international condemnation of mounting civilian casualties. The world is going to witness an intense and focussed all round attacks by the IDF. They may have to even smoke out the jihadi rats from inside the tunnels. There will be cries of the Human Right activists but just like they are deaf & dumb to ongoing genocides of Hindu/Sikh/Christians in Islamic nations, their voices of biases could be ignored in Gaza too.
Possibilities of Opening New Fronts
What has started as a Hamas-Israel conflagration along Israel-Gaza borders, may not remain limited there. It is likely to expand on all sides. It is quite possible that most of the Jihadi organisations all around the world join or extend support. It is also possible that some of the radical Islamic nations brooding terror on their soil may jump in to support the terror organisations involved. Some other Islamic nations having affiliation with west may continue rendering lip services to EU/US but instead, support terrorist organisations in and around Gaza.
Israel has to be careful in keeping a vigil all along its borders. Iran may like to step-in directly or indirectly through Hezbollah in Lebanon. Syria may also step in. Hamas and Hezbollah may seek the involvement of fellow jihadists from other Tanzeems to infiltrate Israel from unsuspected border points or tunnel networks in Egypt or Jorden too, designating them as non-state actors. Even the costal route of entry could be used. Islamic nations are expert in double speak and double acts; just as Pakistan did against USA in rendering support to Taliban in Afghanistan. If they gain access from those routes far away from the battle front in Gaza, they could inflict severe injuries to the civilians just like they did on 7th Oct 23, also running through the defence lines of villages after villages. Iran has already come out in the support of Hamas and there are murmurs from other radical Islamic nations of support.
Iran, Russia and Turkey may find their interests in the newly created war-front to push their own or recruited foreign Jihadists as well as Chechens as foot forces to join Hamas/Hezbollah or open new fronts. Even Pakistan, Afghan Taliban and Malaysian Jihadists may find themselves in. If this happens, it will both reduce the Ukrainian pressure on Russia, US-Israeli pressure on Syria as well as put Israel under immense pressure. It has a potential for multilateral involvement on both sides. OIC may feign ignorance of non-state Jihadi actors being involved whereas Israel will have to seek support of the US and other nations, maybe NATO-minus Turkey. China too will be keen to inflict losses mainly on the US forces. Such mobilisations will have all recipe of a remotely possible World War-III. Blinken-diplomacy of the US presently being tried out in that part of the world, may just remain on paper.
Jihadi Supplies & Replenishments
Israel will also have to be watchful of supplies coming from Islamic nations through their tunnel networks. After the ground attack is launched, surely some Mullahs will utter a call for Jihad. Following this, the world may witness another ISIS like scenario with radical Muslims from various parts of the world heading to Gaza/West Bank to join the Hamas or Hezbollah terrorists. OIC may covertly guide the influx of Jihadists from both Islamic and non-Islamic nations incl EU. Several other Jhadi organisations in the world my come to support Hamas. Iran, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan & Pakistan may supply weapons and Jihadist fighters. Another wave of Muslim girls & women will head towards Gaza to offer sex & pleasure to those jihadi rats just like they offered it to the ISIS jihadists in Iraq.
Why Wipe Out Only Hamas?
Israel wants to wipe out Hamas because of their dastardly attacks on the Israeli civilians. However, what happens if they change their name and attire like what Al-Qaida or Daesh did to transform into ISIS? World knows ISIS is equally inhuman and barbaric. Essentially all Jihadi groups are as barbaric as the various Caliphs of Islam who carried out serial or structured genocides of several dozens of the Arabian Tribes, the Parsis (Zoroastrians), the Christians, the Jews, the Hindus, Buddhists and so on. What the founder of Islam started his campaign of genocides with his war cry of “Convert, Flee or Die” in 7th century, continued in the medieval period and even recently we saw it happening on Pandits in 1990 in Kashmir, in 2014 on Yezdis in Sinjar, in 2019 on Sikhs in Afghanistan or elsewhere. There is no change in the beasthood of Islam. Only venues and victims change.
All Islamic terrorist organisations are borne out of the hate & intolerance enshrined in the same mother called Quran & Hadith. Thus in the family tree, all Islamic terrorist organisations are related as brothers/sisters. Thus, if Israel wipes out Hamas today, either the remaining terrorists of this organisation will re-organise with different name (like many proscribed terrorist organisations of Pakistan have changed their names), merge into others or re-emerge after some time. Hence, the IDF aim need not be to wipe out but to ensure that they lose the capability of re-emerging. The other numerous equally inhuman Islamic terrorist organisations in the same region are beyond the administrative reach of IDF, it is only a matter of time before the others will take the vacant space created by decimated Hamas in Gaza. Many feel Israel is trying to treat the symptoms of Islamic terror rather than to treat the disease called ‘hateful Islam’. Actually Quran is the culprit that UNHRC should take a call to amend it or ban its preaching at least in non-Islamic nations.
Bottom-line of the Current Escalation
Hamas has committed grave and inhuman acts of barbarism on 7th Oct in Israel and they deserve to be punished. It is a foregone conclusion that lot of civilians of Gaza will also be killed collaterally many of whom may not have voted for Hamas administration. Very fact that civilians have permitted Hamas to use their buildings for access to the numerous tunnels, they may be no innocent. They are becoming the shield for Hamas willingly or otherwise.
Hamas is only one of the 175-odd terror organisations borne out from the wombs of Hateful Islam. Hence, the UNHRC must take initiatives to insist on the OIC to amend Quran of those hateful contents. Otherwise, Quran should be banned from being preached at least in non-Islamic nations and Muslims could be forbidden from practising discriminative and hateful practices of Islam. This is the only treatment of the disease called Islamic Terror. Till that happens, there will be numerous many inhuman acts of Jihad and there will also be many Israelis, punishing the jihadists all over the world.