While talks of a potential hostage deal dominate the headlines, the IDF continues its operations inside Gaza.
On Monday evening, tanks from the 7th Armored Brigade advanced deep into Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood. At the same time, Israel is finalizing detailed plans for a large-scale ground operation to seize Gaza, expected to be presented to the Cabinet this weekend.
Once approved, the IDF intends to call up hundreds of thousands of reservists and deploy six divisions across the Strip. The operation would begin with encircling Gaza City, followed by heavy artillery, air, and naval strikes before any ground maneuver.
Current IDF activity in Zeitoun, led by the 99th Division, is seen as preparation—securing positions to tighten control over southern Gaza City. Earlier in the day, the IDF held a high-level commanders’ conference at Gaza Division headquarters. Led by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the meeting reviewed lessons from two recent campaigns: “Gideon’s Chariots” in Gaza and “With the Lion” in Iran. The goal was to draw operational insights and prepare for the next phase of fighting.