While Israel has been facing intense international opposition to its latest assault on the Gaza Strip, which involves conquering and holding territory to prevent Hamas from moving back into areas previously cleared of terrorists by the Israel Defence Forces, there is little question that this is the only way for Israel to achieve its goal of completely eradicating Hamas as a governing entity.

“Gideon’s Chariots,” the last stage in the Israel-Hamas war, is a military operation aimed at tightening the siege on Hamas in Gaza, in order to increase pressure on the group to release the Israeli hostages it holds, neutralize its dictatorial control over the Gaza Strip and prevent it from rebuilding and rearming.

Since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war and the broader Middle East conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has been facing multiple existential threats. The initial and most acute of these was the infiltration of thousands of Hamas terrorists into the western Negev desert in southern Israel, resulting in the tragic deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of more than 250 individuals, including women, children and the elderly.

The immediate focus of Israel’s military campaign was the degradation of the operational capabilities of Hamas’s military wing. This organization posed a significant threat to southern Israel, possessing tens of thousands of fighters and the capacity to launch tens of thousands of rockets toward Israel. Hamas was a deeply entrenched adversary, fortified within an extensive tunnel network equipped with command-and-control structures, and was more than willing to target soldiers and civilians alike.

Israel was therefore compelled to tackle this threat through intensive combat operations, all while navigating the complexities of a densely populated urban environment. Furthermore, Israel had to take steps to minimize harm caused to the hostages being held by Hamas, the majority of whom were believed to be concealed underground in potentially booby-trapped locations and subjected to inhumane conditions.

Concurrently, Israel was required to concentrate substantial forces on its northern border, particularly with Lebanon. There, Hezbollah, a terrorist group aligned with Iran, was preparing to raid communities in northern Israel, boasting thousands of commando fighters and the capability to launch thousands of rockets, all with Iranian blessing, funding and know-how.

The Iranian axis was also supported by militias in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, which consistently fired missiles and drones equipped with improvised explosive devices at Israel.

The initial phase of the war, spanning from October 2023 to December 2024, was dedicated to targeting Hamas’s military capabilities, establishing a defensive buffer against the Iranian-backed Shiite axis and capitalizing on opportunities created by military pressure in Gaza to leverage negotiations for the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

Notably, between October and November 2024, Israel launched a comprehensive offensive against the Iranian axis, particularly targeting Hezbollah. This operation neutralized much of the organization’s senior leadership and commanders, including its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and his deputies.

By the end of 2024, Israel had largely mitigated the overarching existential threat. Hamas’s operational and strategic capabilities were severely impaired, its leadership was largely eliminated and it was reduced to a tactical-militia framework engaging in guerrilla warfare while attempting to rebuild its strength. However, around 100 hostages remained in Hamas captivity.

With U.S. President Donald Trump back in the White House, Israel was presented with a unique opportunity to free over 30 hostages held by Hamas, leading to a shift in the campaign’s objectives.

Yet at the end of the initial phase of the ceasefire, Hamas attempted to impose conditions on Israel for ending the conflict, demanding a return to the pre-October 7 status quo, particularly concerning the ceasefire line adjacent to the homes of Israeli civilians.

Hamas also adamantly refused to advance meaningful negotiations for the release of the remaining 60-or-so hostages, insisting on an unconditional Israeli withdrawal that would pose a clear and immediate danger to nearby communities.

The IDF’s operational efforts since March have focused on two objectives. First, altering the security situation in southern Israel to prevent a recurrence of the events of October 7. This entails a dual effort aimed at the ultimate collapse of Hamas’s military wing and the dismantling of its governing capabilities.

A key aspect of this is preventing Hamas from preventing humanitarian aid from reaching the civilian population and seizing supplies for its own benefit.

The second objective is the return of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, based on the understanding that the terrorist organization’s conditions for ending the war remain fundamentally unacceptable to Israel.

Hamas demands that it remain a central component of any future governing structure in Gaza as a prerequisite for the release of the hostages and refuses any demilitarization of the Strip, including the removal of weapons and rockets.

Israel cannot accept these conditions, as they would effectively allow the terrorist organization to maintain its positions, providing a potential foundation for its future rebuilding.

Consequently, the objectives of the current phase of the campaign, Operation Gideon’s Chariots, are the decisive defeat of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the elimination of all its military capabilities, culminating in the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the return of the hostages.

The complexity of this operation necessitates a phased approach that prioritizes the welfare of the civilian population of Gaza. The operation’s central aim is to establish control over the entire Gaza Strip, because it has become clear that Hamas will not surrender through any other means.

At this stage of the campaign, Israel’s intention is to bring an end to the war in Gaza and remove the threat posed to its citizens for many generations to come. Hence, the IDF’s strategy includes: significantly reducing the area in which Hamas can exert control; taking control over humanitarian aid out of the hands of the terrorists; and putting military pressure on Hamas to come to an agreement to release the remaining hostages.

Ultimately, Hamas’s leadership will have to choose between being exiled to a third country or being destroyed by an aggressive military campaign. Meanwhile, world leaders must realize that Israel can no longer tolerate a situation in which a terrorist organization is camped out along its borders, ready to carry out another October 7-style attack at any time, and that Operation Gideon’s Chariots is the best means of ensuring the elimination of the terrorist threat.

This article was originally posted on: National Post