Israel Concludes Incursion in Gaza’s Zeitoun 

Latest Developments 

Israeli ground forces on May 15 concluded an almost week-long counterterrorist sweep of the Gaza City district of Zeitoun. Tanks and troops withdrew from Zeitoun after conducting search-and-destroy missions in which 150 terrorists were killed in clashes and 80 sites used by them were razed, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. Israeli operations continued in the neighboring northern Gazan districts of Jabalya and Beit Hanoun as well as in parts of central Gaza and in the southern city of Rafah. 

Expert Analysis 

“From the outset of this war, Israel predicted that mopping-up operations against residual Hamas cadres would continue for months after the initial high-intensity offensive wound down in late 2023. That is what we have been seeing in Zeitoun, Jabalya, and elsewhere. Naysayers might argue that the return of the IDF is proof of some kind of strategic failure. Yet the IDF never declared ‘mission accomplished,’ and, if anything, the steep drop-off in its casualties this time demonstrates that Hamas capabilities have been successfully eroded.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO 

“The Israeli military’s operations in the northern Gaza Strip highlight the complexity of eliminating Hamas and its allies, a challenge that is likely to be repeated in the south if the Israeli war cabinet orders a full-scale invasion of Rafah. These difficulties underscore the reality that dismantling Hamas and its partners as a formidable fighting force in the Gaza Strip is a long-term process that will likely take many more months to achieve.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal 

Related Analysis 

“Gaza Terrorists Exploit Two More UNRWA Facilities,” FDD Flash Brief 

“IDF’s new three-pronged Gaza offensive takes shape,” by Seth J. Frantzman 

“Israel Expands Rafah Operation After Hamas Launches Rockets at Beersheba,” FDD Flash Brief