IDF Launches ‘Operation Gideon’s Chariots’ to Clear Hamas from Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Friday that it had launched “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at clearing out the remaining Hamas terrorists, tunnels, and weapons from Gaza — inch by inch.

Earlier this month, as Breitbart News reported, Israel called up its reserves and began preparing the operation, warning Hamas that it would launch Gideon’s Chariots if all hostages were not freed by the conclusion of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the region.

As Breitbart News reported at the time:

Military analysts describe “Gideon’s Chariots” as a classic “clear, hold, build” strategy to root out Hamas and create new, credible, demilitarized civilian authorities to govern the Palestinian communities in Gaza.

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Israel plans to use military pressure to rescue the remaining hostages in a new way: not by pressuring Hamas leadership, which has been unwilling to compromise, but to isolate Hamas cells that are holding captives.

In a statement, the IDF said:

Over the past day, the IDF has begun conducting extensive strikes and mobilizing troops to achieve operational control in areas of the Gaza Strip, as part of preparations to expand operations and fulfill the objectives of the war — including the release of hostages and the dismantling of the Hamas terrorist organization.

IDF troops will continue to operate in order to protect Israeli civilians and achieve the objectives of the war.

While Hamas began the week by releasing American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, it did not release more. There are thought to be roughly 20 hostages still alive in Hamas captivity, amid about 60 hostages overall.

While the Trump administration is likely to join other governments in expressing concern for humanitarian needs in Gaza, it is likely to tolerate the IDF operation as necessary to make Gaza the “freedom zone” that Trump described to Arab leaders in the Middle East during his goundbreaking visit to the region this week.