Painful dilemma for Israel as Gaza braces for second phase assault

Israel is under immense pressure from the US to take far greater care on the next phase, whilst knowing it cannot pursue this war indefinitely

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Palestinians fleeing the north walk along the Salaheddine road in the Zeitoun district on the southern outskirts of Gaza City on November 26, 2023

The excruciatingly tense wait for the break in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is against a backdrop of escalating concern for those remaining Gazans huddled in the south.

Israel now faces the problem, having moved more than a million there, of what to do next since fighters and Hamas leaders such as Yahya Sinwar are also thought to have fled there.

How do they proceed towards the south and where will the exhausted refugees including their wounded be forced to retreat to as the second phase ensues?

The possibility of worsening an already horrific humanitarian issue in Gaza is looming as the Israeli Defence Force has lost momentum during almost a week of ceasefire.

And White House National Security spokesman John Kirby has come out and declared America will “not be able to support further Israeli military operations in the southern Gaza Strip before Israel can guarantee that it would not displace civilians”.

This means Israel risks losing hugely if sheltering Gazans who have already fled to the south are forced to move yet again, accelerating the risk of diseases such as cholera.