The IDF says a large-scale operation in Gaza City would cause a crisis with reserve units, which are struggling with declining turnout rates and low morale. Additionally, tensions are high between the military leadership and the government regarding the risk to hostages.
The Israeli army has warned that implementing the government's orders to demolish all of Gaza City, both above and below ground, similar to operations carried out in Beit Hanoun and Rafah, could take many months, potentially more than a year.
This follows Defense Minister Israel Katz's threat on Friday that if Hamas does not accept Israel's conditions for ending the war, Gaza City, Hamas' capital, will become like Rafah and Beit Hanoun. In such a scenario, the army says it would face an even more severe crisis with reserve units, which are already struggling with declining turnout rates and low morale.
IDF chief Eyal Zamir told government leaders that the IDF will not begin a major assault on Gaza City until a "humanitarian zone" is established to hold the city's residents. He also said that military operations will only start after necessary operational and legal preparations are complete. This is despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demand to accelerate the operation.
So far, no such zones for displaced Palestinians have been established, meaning significant infrastructure work will be required. Israeli army sources note that the evacuation of Rafah took two weeks, and the estimate is that evacuating Gaza City, home to approximately 1.2 million people, will take somewhat longer.
The IDF explains that the plan presented by the IDF chief to the government allows the army to halt the fighting quickly if Israel and Hamas reach an agreement on hostage releases and a cease-fire.
The army emphasizes that its position is to exhaust negotiations and secure as many hostages as possible before beginning an assault on Gaza City because of serious concerns about their safety during intense fighting.
Tensions are currently high between the military leadership and the government over the Gaza offensive, particularly regarding the risk to hostages. Senior IDF officials stressed over the weekend that the IDF chief will not act unlawfully and remains fully subject to the guidance of the Military Advocate General, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi.
As of now, three IDF divisions are operating in Gaza. The 99th Division is fighting in the Zeitoun neighborhood on the outskirts of Gaza City. The 162nd Division is engaged in Jabaliya and the outskirts of the Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City. The 36th Division operates along the Morag Corridor and in the Khan Yunis area.
Additionally, the IDF's Gaza Division is responsible for securing the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border in southern Gaza and overseeing food distribution points in the area.
The IDF has issued call-up orders for approximately 60,000 reservists, who are expected to report on September 2. Most will replace regular troops in the West Bank and along the northern border, freeing them to participate in the Gaza City offensive.