The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed defense officials. The expansion of the road south of Gaza City is part of efforts to reshape the topography of the Gaza Strip. The East-West corridor has been occupied by Israel since the start of the war against Hamas. The expanded road will allow the Israeli military to continue moving quickly through the coastal area even after most troops withdraw.
It is unclear how long this east-west link will be used by the army, he said, citing Israeli officials. This can take months and even years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want to permanently occupy the coastal strip. But he made clear that Israel wanted to maintain “full security control” over the area after the war.
USA: Rafah offensive not before Ramadan
In any case, the road expansion shows preparation for the next phase of the war, according to the North American newspaper. The Israeli army plans to withdraw from populated areas and focus on targeted attacks against Hamas. With a planned invasion of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, Israel wants to destroy the remaining Hamas troops and free the suspected hostages there.
Portal/Mohammed Salem Lack of food and medicine characterizes life in the Gaza Strip
These plans have provoked strong criticism internationally, as around 1.5 million Palestinians who had previously fled from other parts of the southern Gaza Strip are crowding around and in Rafah. According to a report from the Times of Israel news website, the US does not expect the offensive to begin before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, around March 10. The Israeli army is still in the process of concluding operations in the city of Khan Yunis, which has been hotly contested for weeks. Furthermore, the civilian population must be brought to safety.
Netanyahu: The fight will continue
Humanitarian organizations are sounding the alarm about catastrophic humanitarian conditions and are skeptical about how and where the civilian population can be protected. According to an Israeli official, the army plans to house civilians in an area to the north, between Khan Yunis and the bed of the Wadi Gaza river, which separates the north and south of Gaza.
AP/Avi Ohayon Netanyahu appears undeterred by criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in the Gaza Strip
Netanyahu does not want to be deterred by criticism of Israel's conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip: “There is considerable pressure on Israel, both at home and abroad, to end the war before we have achieved all its objectives,” he said . on Tuesday during a visit to troops in Israel, near the border with the Gaza Strip. The fighting will continue until all hostages are freed and Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel.
Negotiations on the release of hostages are ongoing
There is little progress in the ongoing indirect talks on the release of the hostages through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and the US. A US veto on Tuesday prevented Algeria from passing a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war. The US argued that ongoing negotiations on a temporary ceasefire and the release of hostages from Hamas control should not be jeopardized. China expressed “great disappointment” with the US veto.
However, US officials expressed confidence on Tuesday about a humanitarian pause ahead of Ramadan. There is “great hope” of a quick deal on the release of the hostages in exchange for a pause in fighting, two US Democratic senators said after talks with the Israeli leadership.
US President Joe Biden's Middle East advisor Brett McGurk will be in Egypt on Wednesday and Israel on Thursday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced. McGurk will hold talks “to see if we can still get the hostage deal done.”