Hamas has ‘lost control’ over Gazan civilians, says retired Israeli commander

Gazan civilians are now “very cooperative” in relocating to humanitarian zones set up by the IDF now that Hamas leadership has “lost control” over them, according to an Israeli military expert and former deputy commander of the IDF’s Gaza Division.

As the IDF commences Operation Gideon’s Chariots, an expanded incursion into the Strip, Brigadier General (res) Amir Avivi told the JC that the moving of Gazan civilians out of areas that the IDF intends to enter is “now much easier” due to Hamas leadership in disarray or dead.

Previously, when the terror group maintained a tight grip on the enclave and its inhabitants, it was more challenging to get Gazan civilians to cooperate, he claimed. But now that the group “has pretty much lost control at this point, so far [Gazan] society is responsive. They are moving to the designated safety zones. People understand they need to listen to the IDF and go to the zones where there is safety, security and humanitarian aid,” he said.

[Missing Credit]Bridgadier General (res) Amir Avivi

Before retiring from the IDF in 2017, Avivi held a series of senior roles including Deputy Commander of the Gaza Division, Commander of the School of Combat Engineering, Director of the Office of the Chief of Staff and Commander of the Sagi Division.

After leaving service, he founded Israel’s Defence and Security Forum (IDSF), a group of more than 35,000 senior offices from all branches of the IDF, researchers, and academics concerned with supporting Israel’s security and the explaining narratives surrounding it. In 2023, Avivi was ranked 37th on the Jerusalem Post’s list of 50 more influential Jews in the world.

Despite Israel’s objectives having remained unchanged since the beginning of the war, the way in which it now distributes humanitarian aid under Operations Gideon’s Chariots has seen a “complete change,” he said.

Aid is now primarily given to civilians within areas controlled by the IDF, zones in which people are vetted before entering. This is to ensure aid doesn’t fall into the hands of Hamas while also further encouraging civilians into the safety zones.
“Areas that are conquered, like Rafah, under IDF control become humanitarian zones or bubbles,” Avivi said, “into them we will encourage [civilians] to move and there they will get aid.”

It is not in Israel’s interest to “create a reality where people lack food,” he said. “There is no hunger in Gaza. We bring in huge amounts of aid from throughout the world and will continue [to do so]. We monitor the amount closely, and know the exact amount needed to make sure people have what they need. Not more or not less.”

The objectives of the war have been “clear from the beginning”, that is “abiding by the rules of war to eradicate Hamas as a government and military entity and to bring the hostages back,” he went on.

These aims, Avivi argued, cannot currently be achieved without “completely conquering” the Gaza Strip, and therefore a full ground invasion of the territory is now “necessary to make progress on both these goals”.

He explained: “You cannot destroy terror infrastructure or save hostages from the air. We have seen [over the last] 20 years how this terror army builds tunnels to hide in and operates from schools and hospitals. Only airstrikes against [an enemy of this kind] is ineffective, no matter how many times you carry them out.”

The “clearing out” of Gaza might take “a year or two”, after which “local leadership in different towns” can be established instead of one group governing over the whole territory, he said.

Avivi claims that since Herzi Halevi was replaced by Eyal Zamir as IDF chief of staff in March, there is a “new and renewed spirit in the army, and that spirit has spread out to all units.

“They see resolution. They see an end. The army is talking very clearly about decisive victory and the whole army is acting accordingly,” he concluded.