This Sunday, when Israel was about to meet 19 months of war against Hamas, unleashed by the massacre of October 7, 2023, the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Benjamín Netanyahu unanimously approved a categorical decision: a categorical decision: significantly expand the military offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The SE Plan refers to the taking of territories by Israel as a tool to seriously press Hamassomething whose intention some government ministers argue that it is to retain these territories and not leave them even in exchange for kidnapped.
And although, for the moment, it is not part of the official decision, it is undoubtedly one of the points in discord.
Recovering the kidnapped is an objective of supreme importance, but the main objective is to defeat enemies
Israel blocked all the help that entered the territory on March 2. Photo:AFP
Formally, it is argued that The deepening of the war aims to recover the 59 kidnapped They are still in the hands of Hamas.
But in practice the commander in chief of the Israel defense Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, warned the ministers that The new stage can put hostages in danger, Which gave as Monday the Minister Micky Zohar also in an interview with Israeli radio saying that “this will not be easy for the kidnapped.”
Perhaps the explanation lies in the statements made days ago by Netanyahu himself: “Recovering the kidnapped is a target of supreme importance, but the main objective is to defeat enemies.”
Protests in Israel against Benjamín Netanyahu. Photo:JOHN WESSELS / AFP
In turn, the Families Forum of the kidnapped warns that the deepening of the war puts their loved ones at risk, stating that when military pressure intensifies, that does not release kidnapped but kills them.
The government should have accepted to end the war to recover the kidnapped, as both Biden and Trump raised it
Israel’s other ways to achieve hostages in the hands of Hamas
The General Brigadier (RET) Meir Elran, who served 24 years in the defense forces of Israel and is an emeritus researcher at the national Security Studies InstituteIt is critical of government decisions but estimates that “in the current situation, the options are complex.”
On the one hand, he argues that “the government should have agreed to end the war to recover the kidnapped, as both Biden and Trump raised” and on the other remember that “in the current stagnation it does not have much room for maneuver.”
Anyway estimates that “Everything that is being discussed about a powerful attack on Hamas in Gaza is intended to intensify the pressure on Hamas To accept an agreement, or at least to create the impression of strong pressure for Trump’s visit in the region. ”
Israel announces land operations in Gaza Photo:
In fact, sources in the government clearly said that Hamas has a chance to accept an agreement for the release of kidnapped Before Trump arrives in the region, that there is a window of opportunity to prosper the negotiating contacts, but that if it is not achieved, it will be attacked strongly.
The call to thousands of reservists, another point of discord of the controversial resolution
In between there is an element that is not the central in the current discussion but that has weight in society: The need to summon tens of thousands of reservists for the extension of the military offensive.
This, although most have already given more than 300 days to the service since October 7, 2023, which directly affects their personal lives, their families and jobs.
The dream when we recruited was to find kidnapped and release them. Now I’m not sure we can achieve it
According to Israeli media, the percentage of the reserves that are presented when they are called, but the numbers are not clear has been seriously reduced.
Smoke comes out after an Israeli attack near the refugee camp in Bureij, in the center of Gaza. Photo:AFP
While the question about the extent to which the decisions of the government is trusted, that does not seem to be the main point arises in the public discussion. The accumulated tiredness, the difficulty of being out of the house for so long, plays a more central role.
“When we do not wear the uniform, we are citizens, civilians, with the right to manifest and protest each one for what it feels, but when we go to the reservation to protect the country, that is the central thing,” says Major A., of the body of armored ones.
“I do not see that the political issues are the central. I have served with people of the left and right, and everyone feels that it is a privilege to do this service after the attack launched by Hamas against the south of Israel.”
What bothers a lot is that this government now issues new re -reserved recruitment orders, when it supports the promulgation of a law to exempt all ultra -orthodox youth of military service
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo:AFP
Eitán Herzel, who at 57 no longer has an obligation to go to the reservation but continues to volunteer in one of the most prominent elite units, It does not trust Netanyahu’s decisions in general.
As a member of the ‘Ajim Lanéshek’ organization, he has participated in numerous protests against the government already before the war, for judicial reform, but now he says that “I have no elements to affirm that they are making decisions for irrelevant considerations, although I do not seem the right ones.”
His own son, officer in a combat unit, shares his ideas, but when you saw the uniform, he does not argue.
“What bothers a lot is that this Government now issues new orders for re -reserved recruitment, when it supports the promulgation of a law to exempt all ultra -orthodox young people from military service,” he explains by adding that “it is clear that if everyone went to the army, it would not only be more just as principle, but in practice, each one could deal with a minor burden.”
Israel has called tens of thousands of reservists to fight. Photo:Pray for MAREY/AFP
The largest Pavel, reservist in a armored unit, which was already more than 300 days recruited at the end of this month has to return to the service for another 80 days.
Emphasize that “Today there is more tired”.
He claims to be sure that “it is a privilege to serve the national defense, but it is not easy to leave my wife and three young children” again. “The dream when we recruited was to find kidnapped and release them. Now I’m not sure we can achieve it “.
Jana Beris – Time correspondent – Jerusalem
