The newspaper "Israel Hayom" published a new report revealing that the Israeli army has completed its preparations for a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war there for the past 14 days. The report stated: "The political and security elite in Tel Aviv believe that the ground campaign against Gaza will last for several months, with the first phase dedicated to controlling the region, while the subsequent phases will focus on the systematic destruction of the infrastructure and government related to Hamas." Senior Israeli military officials examined various units expected to join the war against Gaza and conveyed a message indicating that the upcoming military campaign could be challenging, especially since it is taking place in a dense and complex area with numerous surprises prepared by Hamas.
The paper noted that "Israel hopes that, alongside its efforts to crush Hamas's military wing, it can achieve two key objectives from the ground operation. The first is to improve operational conditions for the release of prisoners and missing persons or at least to obtain information about their whereabouts and status, while the second goal is to eliminate Hamas's military and political leadership."
It explained that "the elimination of the movement's cadres has been a priority in every operation carried out by Israel against the Gaza Strip. So far, four of Hamas's 20 Shura Council members and several other leaders have been targeted, in addition to a senior officer, Ayman Nofal." The newspaper mentioned that "the Israeli operation should first conclude with the elimination of three key figures in Hamas: Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Marwan Issa, alongside the movement's political and religious leadership." It added: "Furthermore, if Israel decides to expand its campaign against Hamas outside the Gaza Strip, efforts will be made to eliminate Saleh Awarri, who poses a significant problem for Tel Aviv, especially after he established a combat force for Hamas in Lebanon."
