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Some IDF tanks are out of action and Germany's embargo threatens to hinder Israel's plan to take Gaza

2025-08-26 16:05:43Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Some IDF tanks are out of action and Germany's embargo threatens to hinder
Footage from the protests in Israel

By Amos Harel - Haaretz

The latest signs are not positive. A week after Hamas conditionally accepted the mediators’ proposal for a partial deal to release the hostages as a step towards a full deal that would end the war, Israel appears to be wasting time. This is despite clear reports of the critical condition of the 20 hostages still being held in the Gaza tunnels, as well as the bodies of 30 others who are under Hamas control. There are reports that negotiations may resume, this time in a different location, but no one seems in a hurry.

Preparations for the military operation to take control of Gaza City are proceeding as normal, while US President Donald Trump continues to fully support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump speculated on Friday that some hostages may die, but Israel categorically denies this. The claim that the military operation will force Hamas to hand over live hostages at the last minute does not match reality. The army has value, but Hamas has never fully surrendered.

Netanyahu is not happy with the dim name the IDF chose for the operation, “Gideon’s Chariots II.” The prime minister prefers “Iron Fist,” despite or because of its fascist connotations. Reserve officers are fighting over the merits of planning the operation, which has not yet begun, although preparations are ongoing.

The entire international community, except the Americans, has condemned Israel's intentions, while legal experts warn that the destruction of Gaza City risks personal legal liability throughout the world. Defense Minister Israel Katz does not seem concerned and says that after the operation Gaza will look like Beit Hanoun, a city already completely destroyed.

Military preparations are continuing, but not at the pace that ministers want. Israeli media Channel 12 reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich harshly criticized IDF Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir during a cabinet meeting for not being able to predict how long it would take to forcibly evacuate the population of Gaza, a city of about one million people. The IDF predicts that 30% will refuse to evacuate. Smotrich was told: “Whoever does not leave, do not give them water or energy. Let them starve to death or surrender. This is what we want.”

The situation of reservists is also challenging: some brigades predict that around 50-70% will report for service, while many others do not report, even though they are counted in official statistics. Some units use “attached” reservists who have left civilian life due to engagement in the war.

The condition of the armored vehicles is as dire as that of the soldiers. Artillery crews are forced to improvise and limit the time they can use tanks and APCs after 22 months of continuous fighting. A new problem is the arms embargo from Germany, which could affect the replacement of Merkava tank engines, leaving some tanks out of service and limiting Israel's military capacity in Gaza.

Zamir is also wary of the hostages' lives. The IDF has partial information, which makes it difficult to track Hamas' preparations and the whereabouts of the hostages in the chaos of Gaza. New precautions have been taken to patrol the buildings, drawing on experience from previous incidents.

The government's pressure for results and attempts to force the army to take problematic actions have increased tensions within the IDF. Of particular note is the cooperation between the Southern Command and the Air Force, where there have been disagreements in the past.

While the military is resisting political pressure in Gaza, the situation in the West Bank is different. Smotrich has achieved a “complete victory,” with Netanyahu, Katz and Zamir only looking on. Last week, the finance minister approved construction plans in the E1 area of ​​east Jerusalem, calling it “another nail in the coffin of the Palestinian state.”

The military is ignoring the systematic settler violence in Palestinian villages and is taking new punitive measures. Last week, a Palestinian shot at Israeli civilians, lightly wounding one person; in response, the IDF destroyed 3,100 olive trees in the village of Al Mughayyir. The commander of the Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, said, “Every village should know that if it attacks, it will pay a high price and will be placed under siege.”

The actions, against the backdrop of preparations for a devastating attack on Gaza City, are expected to draw widespread international criticism of Israel. They come just before the UN General Assembly meeting in late September.

Overall, September is expected to be a tense month. A showdown seems imminent in Lebanon between the government and the army against Hezbollah, which refuses to surrender its weapons. Iran continues to clash with the West over violations of the nuclear deal and potential sanctions, while Israel and the US continue attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Last week, the Israeli Air Force attacked the Yemeni capital in response to Houthi attacks, while cluster missiles from the Houthi are increasing the tension for civilian airlines near Ben-Gurion Airport.

On the Palestinian side, however, only a deal on the hostages can stop the spiral of deterioration.


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