Israel’s Ground Offensive in Gaza: Total Destruction or Strategic Pressure?

Watan-The French newspaper Libération asked:“Is Israel’s ground attack on Gaza, which began on Sunday, aimed at completely destroying and occupying the territory, or is it meant to pressure Hamas—currently involved in indirect negotiations in Doha—into agreeing to a ceasefire?”

According to the newspaper, by sending in tanks and bulldozers toward what remains of Gaza—and after three days of continuous airstrikes that killed more than 300 Palestinians, including women and children sheltering under temporary tents—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ignored all warnings issued by several Arab and Western countries since Saturday.

The Palestinian Civil Defense, with three-quarters of its vehicles out of service due to fuel shortages, reported around 200 people trapped under rubble just this week alone. On Sunday, the last functioning public hospital in northern Gaza—the Indonesian Hospital—was forced to shut down after it was surrounded by Israeli drones. Meanwhile, Al-Awda Hospital remains open, according to its director, despite at least 10 airstrikes near its vicinity in recent hours.

Between Extremes and Indifference: Gaza Burns as Leaders Hesitate

Hamas, which launched two rockets at Israel on Sunday, does not appear ready to halt its fire either—this, Libération says, is the essence of the tragedy: Palestinians, Israelis, and much of the world are trapped between two extremes that no one can fully control.

So, what is the position of the leader of the world’s most powerful country on this disaster? the French paper asked. It noted that Donald Trump, who recently hinted that he was not indifferent to the suffering in Gaza, has since gone silent. Statements from those close to him are confusing, oscillating between calls for calm and escalatory rhetoric. Have Arab leaders—especially the Saudi Crown Prince, who sealed major deals with Trump last week—completely abandoned the Palestinian cause? Or are they working behind the scenes to secure a ceasefire? Libération wonders.

The paper argues that only intense pressure from Arab leaders might push Donald Trump—keen on transactional deals—to shift his position toward Netanyahu, or even provoke a public uprising in Israel. While more Israelis are expressing anger at their Prime Minister, it remains insufficient, as the extremist current in Israeli society still holds great potential for destruction. Netanyahu, Libération suggests, fears the power vacuum that any peace deal might bring more than continued war.

Such is the absurdity of war that even the Houthis, thousands of kilometers away, were glued to their screens—waiting for the perfect moment to launch a ballistic missile toward Israel. That missile disrupted the “celebration” by forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters, Libération continues.

The paper concludes that even if the ongoing negotiations lead to results, they might only offer a brief period of calm—allowing some food, fuel, and medical supplies to enter Gaza and enabling the evacuation of the wounded. But it is hard to believe this will change Israel’s long-term security vision for Gaza. The Israeli military establishment continues to revive the “five-finger” plan devised by Ariel Sharon in the 1970s—intended to fragment the Strip to better control it.

Meanwhile, a U.S.-based organization, with approval from the Israeli government and widespread rejection from the humanitarian community, has started implementing a new aid distribution plan. On Sunday afternoon, dozens of security operatives were seen at Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli media confirmed their identities: they are being recruited to escort humanitarian convoys soon to be deployed.