Border Areas in the Gaza Strip

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There are indications that Israel Defense Forces may enter the Gaza Strip yet again. The Israeli Cabinet has called for approximately 100,000 Gaza residents to vacate northern and southern border villages, a statement typically made before ground incursions or intensive airstrikes in the hopes of limiting civilian casualties. Hamas has urged Palestinians not to follow the order.

If the Israeli military does invade Gaza, it may simply be an operation in border villages, not the entire territory. That kind of offensive would require combat engineer units equipped with heavy bulldozers, and dedicated artillery and close air support assets such as helicopters. For now, ground operations will focus on intelligence gathering or interdicting movement and rocket launching systems.

Indeed, by targeting the border areas, the military means to destroy the launch sites closest to Israel, mitigating the risk the rockets pose to Israel's major population centers. In addition to clearing launch sites, the real motivation behind the incursion would be striking at identified targets, such as weapons depots, tunnels and fighting positions, and eliminating forward defenses for possible subsequent operations.

Simply destroying these rockets and launch sites would not require the full brunt of the Israeli military. Rather, it could be done by elite units, which have been brought to the south of Israel. A larger ground incursion meant to achieve ancillary objectives would involve more forces. The extent of the invasion will depend largely on the effectiveness and the number of Hamas' rockets.

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