“Gideon Vehicles 2”.. Katz Approves Gaza Occupation Plan Involving 60,000 Reservists

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz approved yesterday a comprehensive military plan to occupy the city of Gaza, presented to him by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the General Staff, named “Gideon Vehicles 2”, as a continuation of the previous operation known as ”Gideon Vehicles”.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the plan calls for the mobilization of more than 60,000 reservist soldiers, along with extending the service of an additional 20,000 troops for 40 more days, as part of preparations for a large-scale attack. The plan also includes the displacement of nearly one million Palestinians from the city of Gaza to the southern part of the Strip, in preparation for encirclement and the start of incursions into residential neighborhoods.

The Israeli army has already begun implementing the first phase since August 11, with intensive attacks on the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the southeast of the city, which involved blowing up homes using explosive robots, artillery shelling, and forced displacement of residents.

The plan also outlines arrangements to accommodate the civilians who will be forced to leave the city, at a time when indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue under Egyptian and Qatari mediation.

Meanwhile, Hamas announced earlier this week its acceptance of a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, but a senior Israeli official emphasized that Tel Aviv will not agree to any deal that does not include the release of all hostages held in Gaza.