Operation Gideon Chariots B entered its seventh day Monday, with Division 36 joining the fighting in Gaza City, where large forces are already operating in the city’s central neighborhoods.
At the same time, the IDF has begun addressing the challenge of Hamas’ underground tunnel network in Gaza City, which is at the core of the terrorist group’s strategy. Efforts to intensify pressure on Hamas in the city are steadily increasing.
Alongside the military operation, there is significant pressure on Gaza’s residents, with around 550,000 already leaving the city to the south in search of shelter in humanitarian zones. As of now, it appears that Hamas is trying to impede their departure, but that the terror group is not managing to threaten the residents to the same extent as in the past.
Senior security officials note that behind the scenes, Egypt is pushing Hamas to try and reach an agreement that would lead to a hostage release deal.
However, the assessment is that despite the increasing military pressure, Hamas has not yet fundamentally changed its position and is still not ready to make significant concessions toward a hostage release deal.