There are no easy solutions for Israel as it decides when to enter Gaza.
It’s clear there is hesitation, perhaps thanks to the continued involvement of the United States, about the difficulty in entering Gaza and the impact it will have on the region.
Gaza will provoke a very urban conflict for Israeli troops, and it may not be a quick war either.
You only have to look back to 2017 when the plan was to remove ISIS from Iraq and the city of Mosul.
It’s an effort that can take months, even years, and the determination and motivation of thousands of troops.
But there are many other reasons to pause and think before entering Gaza. Hamas has hostages, and their families are appearing on TV demanding the West take action to bring them back.
From the French president to the American president, efforts are underway to free the hostages. And the harder we try, the more Hamas knows what they have, and the harder the task will be for Israel.
Hostages concern
One of the leading Israeli newspapers Haaretz – albeit one usually critical of the Israeli government – said yesterday in its main editorial that there should be no military action while there are hostages in Gaza.
Whatever Israel decides to do, difficult choices will have to be made.
