Security chiefs said to warn ministers Gaza City takeover will ‘inevitably’ kill hostages

The heads of Israeli security agencies warned ministers during a meeting earlier today convened by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the planned Gaza City takeover will “inevitably” lead to the killing of hostages, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

The prediction is more definitive than previous ones given by the security establishment about the Gaza City operation. In the past, the cabinet has warned that the operation could likely place the hostages being held there at risk.

The security chiefs also warned ministers in today’s meeting that while the evacuation of Gaza City has gone relatively well thus far, hundreds of thousands of the one million people who were living in the area are likely to remain, as opposed to last year’s Rafah operation, where the IDF managed to clear out almost everyone ahead of time.

Many Palestinians have been refusing to leave Gaza City, believing that they’d rather be killed in their homes, as opposed to an uncertain evacuation process to heavily crowded tent-cities in the south, where resources will be even more limited as the displaced population balloons. Hamas is also said to be discouraging Palestinians from heeding evacuation orders, as Israel says it is expanding humanitarian services for the displaced population.

The security chiefs told cabinet members the large population expected to remain in Gaza City will become the responsibility of the IDF and troops will have to provide them with aid and other basic services, Kan reports.

Moreover, the security establishment warned that the Gaza City takeover will take much longer than currently anticipated. While Netanyahu says he has ordered the IDF to shrink the timeline for the operation, the security chiefs said it will likely take many months, and even then, it’s unclear whether the goals of the takeover will be met, Kan reports.