Israel’s war in Gaza resumed in full force last week after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire and a deadlock in negotiations over the release of the remaining hostages. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a new wave of airstrikes, quickly followed by coordinated ground operations in three key areas: the Netzarim Corridor, Gaza’s northern coastline and the Rafah district in the south.

With expanded U.S. support and favorable shifts in the regional landscape, this next phase signals a significant evolution in Israel’s military objectives, from degrading Hamas’s battlefield capabilities to dismantling its ability to govern.

“We’ve been fighting them for 10 days,” said Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror (res.), former Israeli national security advisor. “All they’ve managed to do is fire seven rockets. That tells you how much damage we’ve inflicted already.”

Israeli troops encircle Tel al-Sultan in Gaza. (IDF)

“We won’t go back to the days when we let them quietly build an army,” Ben Barak told Fox News Digital. “We’ll strike every time we see military training or arms smuggling. They’ll never have tanks or armored vehicles again.”

Ben Barak said Israel can’t remain in Gaza long-term: “If we stay like we did in Lebanon for 19 years, we’ll leave in shame. The only way to win is to have someone else replace Hamas and govern Gaza.”

He also pointed to the West Bank as a partial model: “In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority governs, and we operate from the perimeter when needed. We need the same in Gaza: an internationally backed civil authority that rebuilds the [Gaza] Strip and keeps Hamas out.”

Still, he cautioned against illusions of peace.

“There won’t be peace in the next 20 years. But like Egypt did with the Muslim Brotherhood, we can suppress Hamas’s ideology and stop it from taking root again.”

Ben Barak also said Gazans who wish to leave should be allowed to: “Let them out. If they have visas and want to go, Israel should let them. It will make military operations easier in a less densely populated area.”

Israeli forces are now deeply embedded in Gaza, with simultaneous operations in the north, south and central regions.

“These aren’t symbolic moves,” Amidror said. “We’re positioning ourselves for the next stage. We will eventually need to reach every tunnel, blow up the infrastructure, and kill every Hamas terrorist. It is achievable, but it will take at least a year.”