Israel Prepares Massive Ground Offensive to Seize Gaza City with 80000 Troops
Chief of Staff Zamir orders largest maneuver in decades aimed at crushing Hamas strongholds but warns of heavy risks
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Israel is moving at full speed toward the largest ground offensive in Gaza in decades. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has approved a sweeping battle plan involving at least 80,000 troops, with the goal of surrounding and capturing Gaza City, the heart of Hamas’s remaining power.
Military officials confirmed that the maneuver will begin within days, combining armored brigades, infantry, artillery, and close coordination with the air force. Division-level task forces are being readied to destroy Hamas’s command centers, weapons infrastructure, and the last symbols of its rule.
“This is a very broad plan that will inflict a heavy price on Hamas but carries significant risks for IDF forces as well,” said one senior officer familiar with the preparations.
Zamir on the Ground
The Chief of Staff himself entered Gaza in recent days, alongside Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor and Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, to personally examine routes, terrain, and combat zones. According to sources, Zamir wanted to “feel the ground, see with his own eyes, and hear directly from the field commanders” before final approval.
He instructed his generals to sharpen the readiness of Merkava tanks, Namer and Eitan APCs, and specialized engineering equipment to withstand intense urban combat. The Technology and Logistics Directorate, led by Maj. Gen. Michel Yanko, has been ordered to accelerate around-the-clock maintenance to meet the strict timetable.
One of the deepest concerns inside the IDF is the civilian burden that will follow. Capturing central Gaza neighborhoods would place Israel in direct control of humanitarian aid distribution to Palestinians who remain in the north until they evacuate southward.
Zamir stressed in closed talks that the ground maneuver cannot begin before large-scale humanitarian frameworks are in place. Coordination with international relief organizations is being led by Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, head of COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories).
Unprecedented Mobilization
The offensive requires massive synchronization of land, sea, and air forces. Special command centers have been reinforced, reserve headquarters activated, and advanced communications systems deployed to ensure real-time battlefield control.
Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yedai recently reviewed progress in Southern Command, providing operational adjustments ahead of the launch.
What Comes Next
Officials make clear the timeline is short: ground forces will push into new sectors of Gaza “in the coming days,” intensifying pressure on Hamas and setting the stage for what commanders call a decisive strike at the heart of the group’s power.
While the IDF projects overwhelming force, senior officers acknowledge that the risks are immense, including fierce Hamas resistance, casualties among Israeli troops, and the heavy responsibility of managing a devastated city amid a humanitarian crisis.
Still, as one commander put it, “This is the battle for Gaza City, the center of gravity. It will define the outcome of the war.”