Israel is considering a large-scale offensive in Gaza, potentially after U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East visit scheduled for May 13-16, 2025 [3, 5, 7]. A senior Israeli security official indicated that if Hamas does not agree to a hostage deal based on the Witkoff proposal, a new offensive, called "Gideon's Chariots," will commence [3, 5].
The Israeli cabinet has reportedly approved plans for this offensive, with the aim of defeating Hamas and rescuing hostages [3, 5, 7]. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that this operation would focus on capturing territory and maintaining a long-term Israeli presence [6, 11].
A key part of the strategy involves evacuating the Gazan population from combat zones, especially northern Gaza, to southern areas [3, 7, 10]. This aims to separate civilians from Hamas, giving the IDF greater operational freedom [3, 7]. The IDF intends to remain in captured areas to prevent the resurgence of terror, securing these zones similarly to the Rafah model [7]. Humanitarian aid will be restricted until the population is widely evacuated to the south, after which a new distribution system will be implemented, differentiating between aid and Hamas [3, 7, 10].