by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday that it plans to seize 75% of the Gaza Strip within two months as part of its intensified campaign against Hamas under Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” a continuation of the broader effort launched a year and a half ago. The military currently holds around 40% of the territory.
According to an IDF spokesperson, more than 2,900 targets have been struck since the latest ceasefire ended in March, and over 800 terrorists have been eliminated — including 11 senior Hamas officials, 10 battalion commanders, 18 company commanders, and two senior members of Hamas’s military intelligence apparatus.
“Gideon’s Chariots” picks up where Operation “Firm Hand” left off — a campaign in which the IDF split Gaza in two, cleared Rafah, and secured critical corridors. The new phase expands on those gains with a revised territorial strategy focused on completely dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and holding cleared areas to prevent the group from reestablishing its presence.
Senior military officials said the mission is designed to achieve two key goals: the defeat of Hamas and the recovery of Israeli hostages. “Defeating Hamas supports hostage recovery — the two goals are interconnected,” said one IDF official. The army believes Hamas is nearing collapse, noting that much of its leadership has been killed and its governance severely disrupted.
The IDF estimates that roughly 900 kilometers of tunnels have been constructed by Hamas beneath Gaza. Only about 25% have been destroyed so far, though the military says its focus has been on strategic tunnels used for command centers, weapons manufacturing, and infiltration.
Once the expanded ground offensive begins, Israel intends to push Gaza’s 2 million residents into three designated zones comprising just 25% of the Strip: the coastal Mawasi area, central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat region, and parts of Gaza City. The rest of Gaza — including Rafah, Khan Younis, and areas north of Gaza City — will be held by Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, a new humanitarian aid distribution mechanism, operated by a private American security company and supported by the IDF, is set to launch Monday. Four aid hubs have been established, with capacity to serve up to 300,000 people per week. However, aid groups have voiced skepticism, citing concerns over civilian access and potential diversion by Hamas.
Despite heavy fighting and intensified airstrikes, the IDF said there has been no change to its collateral damage policy. Military data suggests a consistent combatant-to-civilian death ratio of about 1:2 or 1:3.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that the war “is not endless,” and reiterated that Hamas is under “tremendous pressure,” having lost most of its assets and command capabilities.
As the campaign presses forward, the question of who will govern Gaza “the day after” remains unresolved among Israeli political leaders.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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