Israeli army ‘preparing for years-long presence in Gaza’

The Israeli army is establishing long-term presence in Gaza, senior military officials have told Haaretz.

According to the Israeli newspaper, which quoted officers and senior commanders in the military, the army is gearing up to remain in the besieged Palestinian enclave at least until the end of 2025.

The newspaper reported that the Israeli army’s accelerated efforts to expose large areas in Gaza – or as Haaretz put it, “destroying existing buildings and infrastructure in such a way that dangers to the forces cannot hide in them, but no one can live in them either” – show intent to stay in the territory for a considerable period.

In addition, the area has seen the construction of new roads and long-term military facilities.

“These are not posts that are built for a month or two,” a commander said.

Soldiers told Haaretz they have been comfortable enough staying in reinforced containers with electricity, air conditioning and other benefits while positioned in the largely emptied northern parts of Gaza.

Military enclave

They say they have turned northern Gaza into a sort of military enclave, having forcibly displaced most of its civilian population.

Senior Israeli political and defence officials deny carrying out the “Generals’ Plan”, a siege strategy to forcefully empty northern Gaza by labelling all remaining civilians as military targets and blocking the delivery of food and medical supplies.

However, senior defence sources told Haaretz that what is being presented to the Israeli public is “not necessarily what is actually happening”.

According to them, the Israeli army is required to empty villages and cities of their residents.

The newspaper adds that up to 20,000 people remain in the area that once had over 500,000.

“The way it looks on the ground, the [military] won’t leave Gaza before 2026,” an officer said.

“When you see the roads being paved here, it’s clear that this isn’t intended for the ground manoeuvres or for raids by the troops into various places,” they added.

“These roads lead, among other places, to the places from which some of the settlements were removed. I don’t know of any intent to rebuild them, that isn’t something we’re told explicitly. But everyone understands where this is going.”

Israel used to have illegal settlements in the Gaza Strip, which were abandoned once it withdrew from the enclave in 2005.

Several Israelis have called for a resettlement into the territory, a move backed by some senior politicians, including ministers.

Israel has killed over 43,000 Palestinians in its war on Gaza, according to the health ministry. Much of the strip’s civilian infrastructure is also destroyed.