UEA politics expert predicts Israeli ground-offensive into Gaza will happen in days
It comes over a week after hostilities broke out between Israel and Hamas
Last updated 17th Oct 2023
An expert in Israeli politics from the University of East Anglia tells us he believes an Israeli ground-offensive in the Gaza strip will inevitably happen over the next few days.
It comes over a week after hostilities broke out between Israel and Hamas, with thousands death or injured on both sides.
There are also fears of escalation involving Hezbollah militants in neighbouring Lebanon.
"There needs to be a very serious consideration...about what can be done"
Dr Eitan Tzelgov is from the University of East Anglia:
"Israeli military has not declared what the stated goal of this ground manoeuvre is. But it seems inevitable that some sort of operation into Gaza will happen in the next few days.
"Once this war is over, there needs to be a very serious consideration - with all actors involved - about what can be done to help those in the Gaza Strip get back to their homes and for there to be some sort of Government there."
"In Israel this really has become an existential crisis"
He continued: "In Israel this really has become an existential crisis. If you look at the numbers of reserves and military personnel that are currently waiting to enter Gaza, we are talking about something like 300 thousand...
"There are also voices in Israel that call for a full-on confrontation with Hezbollah. Some people feel that now is the time to take on both the north and the south fronts, to change the equation in the region."
Biden visit
This comes as it's been announced US President Joe Biden will travel to Israel and Jordan on Wednesday as concerns increase that the Israel-Hamas war could expand into a larger regional conflict.
Mr Biden will discuss humanitarian aid with Arab leaders in Jordan after meeting with officials in Israel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the trip to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the 141-square-mile territory to root out Hamas.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced Mr Biden would also go to Jordan to meet King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
"We've been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza," Mr Kirby said. "That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration."
The president spoke by phone with Mr Fattah el-Sissi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday.
The US has pledged military support, sending carriers and aid to the region.
Mr Blinken made the announcement after more than seven hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.
He said the US and Israel had agreed to develop a plan to enable humanitarian aid from donor nations to reach civilians in Gaza "including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm's way".
"We share Israel's concern that Hamas may seize or destroy aid entering Gaza or otherwise prevent it from reaching the people who need it," he said.