Israeli estimates: Gaza occupation could take three months amid civilian complexities

Israel Hayom, citing security sources, reported that a planned Israeli military operation to take control of Gaza City could last between two and three months, followed by a phase lasting several months of what Israel calls “clearing” operations inside the city’s neighborhoods.

According to the report, the military has completed preparations to introduce ground forces as part of a plan based on gradual, cautious advances, relying on heavy fire to reduce the risk of ambushes Hamas has prepared in residential areas.

The report said about 300,000 of Gaza City’s 800,000 residents have been displaced by the bombardment, while an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 civilians are expected to remain in the city — a complication Israel says Hamas could exploit by using civilians as “human shields.”

Sources added that any military advance could be temporarily halted if a prisoner-exchange deal is reached, but Israel’s political leadership remains committed to a comprehensive deal rather than a partial one.

At the same time, Israeli security agencies warned of a possible escalation in the West Bank as Jewish holidays approach, coinciding with an anticipated United Nations debate on Palestinian statehood, prompting them to raise security preparedness for any developments.