Defense Minister Yisrael Katz yesterday approved the IDF's attack plan on Gaza City, which was presented to him by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF's senior command team.
The goal of the plan is to bring about conditions for an end to the war, while releasing all hostages, disarming Hamas and exiling its senior figures, demilitarizing Gaza, securing the security space to protect the communities, and preserving the IDF's freedom of security action in Gaza.
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The Defense Minister added that with the completion of the operation, Gaza will change its face and will no longer look the same as it did in the past, as he put it.
The plan, approved by Defense Minister Katz, will be presented tomorrow for approval by the political echelon and the Cabinet.
The plan will be called 'Gideon's Chariots II', a continuation of Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' which resulted in the IDF taking control of 75% in the Gaza Strip, while thwarting Hamas terrorists and destroying underground and above-ground terrorist infrastructure in the areas that were cleared.
According to 'Kan News', as part of the preparations for the occupation of Gaza City, regular service for soldiers currently in service will be extended by 30 to 40 days, and approximately 60,000 reserve soldiers will be recruited in addition - half of whom are combatants, and half of whom are soldiers in the Intelligence Division, Air Force, Atal, headquarters, and more.
The orders for the reservists will be sent starting today, the summonses were scheduled for after September 2, after the August vacation to make it easier for the reservists during the long vacation.
For the purpose of fighting, 3 reserve brigades will be mobilized. At the peak of the operation, there will be 130,000 reserve soldiers on active duty: Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and in the north.
According to the plan, 5 divisions, 12 brigade combat teams, and the two brigades of the Gaza Division, North and South, will participate in the operation.
In addition, the humanitarian preparations required to absorb the residents who will be evacuated from Gaza City to the south with the start of the attack on the city were approved - in order to isolate the Hamas terrorists until they are eliminated.
According to the plan, in the first phase of the operation, regular IDF divisions will operate in the north and south of the Gaza Strip. As part of the preparations, an evacuation of the population is expected to take place in the coming week, which will begin with the dropping of leaflets and then include the opening of routes south for civilians.
According to a report on Channel 14, at the same time, the IDF is facing logistical challenges, with the condition of the armored combat vehicles not being optimal. The personnel of the TNA are working around the clock to prepare the vehicles for the expected attack.
In addition, Israel is promoting the establishment of additional airbases and a large field hospital in the center and south of the Gaza Strip, with the aim of reducing Hamas' control over the civilian population.
