Israel Prepares for Decisive Gaza City Offensive, Facing Unprecedented Urban Warfare Challenge
Gaza City, October 28, 2023 – Israeli forces are poised to launch a full-scale offensive into Gaza City, marking what could be teh defining battle in the war against Hamas. On Saturday, Israeli tanks and troops began advancing towards the city’s outskirts, accompanied by intensified shelling, as preparations ramp up for a complex and dangerous operation.
The operation, codenamed “Gideon’s Chariots B,” has been approved by Israel’s security cabinet and involves the deployment of up to five IDF divisions – a notable mobilization backed by the call-up of approximately 60,000 reservists.
This offensive represents a dramatic escalation in the conflict, targeting the heart of Hamas’s stronghold. Experts warn that the fighting will be unlike anything the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has faced before.
“This will be a bigger challenge than anything the IDF has faced, arguably ever,” stated John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Madison Policy Forum and executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. “It is indeed the densest location in Gaza… And you don’t really know what the tunnels are until you get into them.”
Gaza City’s unique characteristics – a crowded urban landscape comprised of refugee camps, dense neighborhoods, and high-rises, coupled with a highly developed network of underground tunnels – present formidable obstacles for Israeli forces. While the IDF has demonstrated adaptability in
