Military Exercise 'Mastery over Gaza' Held in Southern Israel

On Tuesday, July 16, the Israeli army conducted a military exercise in the south of the country near the Gaza border, simulating a potential reoccupation of the Palestinian enclave. According to Israeli media, the exercise of the 162nd military unit, which simulates combat operations in Gaza, is the 'largest' drill in recent years. Colonel Oded Basiuk, the commander of this unit, told the Ynet news site, 'If we enter Gaza tomorrow, no one should be surprised.' This Israeli military official added that this exercise 'could be the last drill before another war in the south.' At the same time, Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, who visited the military exercise on Tuesday, stated in an interview with local media that the concept of military readiness 'must be clear to Hamas.' Concurrently, reports indicated that Israel warned Palestinians and fishermen in Gaza to stay three miles away from the coast, a restriction that was previously six miles; this warning is apparently related to potential preparations for a new attack on Gaza. Thirteen years ago, in a unilateral move, following the decision of the then-government under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Israel withdrew from Gaza after 38 years of control. Hamas has held control of Gaza for the past eleven years. In 2008, 2012, and 2014, Israel conducted extensive military operations in Gaza in response to 'terror' from Hamas. Over the past four months, Hamas has organized 'Return' protests along the borders of Gaza and Israel, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment; these protests continue and have resulted in approximately 140 deaths and 16,000 injuries so far. Israel claims that the new aggression from Palestinians, which began during the 'Return' protests, through sending incendiary kites towards Israeli skies, constitutes 'terror' and could motivate another military attack on Gaza. According to Israel, over 1,200 incendiary kites and balloons from Palestinians, about 700 of which landed in southern Israeli fields, have caused significant damage to its farmers. In recent days, Israel and Hamas have engaged in conflict; Israel conducted the 'most extensive' airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza, while Hamas militants fired dozens of rockets into southern Israel. The reciprocal attacks represent the most intense clashes between Israel and Hamas in the past four years, following the Israeli army's attack on Gaza in the summer of 2014. Despite this, an unwritten ceasefire between the two sides, apparently brokered by Egypt and other factors, calmed the situation in southern Israel and Gaza to some extent on Sunday and Monday. However, Hamas leaders stated on Sunday that the rocket fire from 'resistance' groups was intended to create a balance, forcing Israel to agree to a ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Sunday that a ceasefire means no aggression from Palestinians and that the launching of incendiary kites towards Israel must also stop. Netanyahu's 'warning' message was conveyed to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, by Nikolai Mladenov, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for the region, during a brief visit to Gaza on Sunday. According to some Arab media, Mladenov carried Netanyahu's 'warning' message to Haniyeh. However, according to Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, Mladenov called for 'patience' from both Palestinians and Israelis following his meeting with Haniyeh. On the other hand, on Tuesday, Israel closed the 'Kerem Shalom' border crossing, and Egypt closed its Rafah border crossing with Gaza; actions that Israeli media reported were apparently aimed at increasing pressure on Hamas to comply with the ceasefire with Israel. Gaza, with a population of about two million, has the highest population density in the world, and Palestinians consider it a 'prison'; however, Israel claims that cutting off Hamas's support for 'terror' will improve the conditions of the residents of this enclave.