| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Katz says still time for deal to head off Gaza op, but no stopping once it starts |
| 2025-05-08 |
| [IsraelTimes] Defense Minister Israel Katz says once Israel launches a major offensive planned in Gaza after next week it will not stop until it reaches its goals of conquering and holding the Strip. “Operation Gideon’s Chariots is intended to defeat Hamas and bring about the release of all the hostages. We will act with great force to destroy all of Hamas’s military and governmental capabilities, while creating strong pressure for the release of all the hostages,” Katz says in remarks published by his office following an assessment with the IDF’s 162nd Division, which is due to take part in the offensive. He says that “unlike in the past, the IDF will remain in every area [it conquers] to prevent the return of terrorism and to clear and thwart any threat.” “From the moment the maneuver begins, we will act with great force and will not stop until all objectives are achieved, including the voluntary emigration plan for the residents of Gaza,” Katz adds. He says the campaign will not be launched until US President Donald Trump wraps up a trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates slated for May 13 to May 16, indicating it could still be called off if a hostage deal is reached. The current preparation phase “allows a window of opportunity until the end of the US president’s visit to the region to carry out a hostage deal,” he says. He says that Israeli troops will remain in a buffer zone inside Gaza “in any temporary or permanent arrangement,” as it is intended to protect Israeli communities and prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |