Israel's Gaza Ground Invasion: Operation Litani After Coastal Road Massacre
The Israeli military is getting ready to send troops into Gaza. They decided to wait a bit to let some Palestinians in the northern areas escape before they go in. This is because they want to take revenge for the deadliest attack by Hamas in its history.
The Israeli military is getting ready to send troops into Gaza. They decided to wait a bit to let some Palestinians in the northern areas escape before they go in. This is because they want to take revenge for the deadliest attack by Hamas in its history.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, visited the border where troops were stationed. He talked to soldiers and said they should be ready for what's coming. The fighting has been happening for over a week and more than 1,300 people in Israel and over 2,200 in Gaza have died.
Israel warned about 1.1 million people living in northern Gaza to leave. They said they would attack by air, sea, and land in Gaza City, which is where the leaders of Hamas are.
In the past, Israel attacked Gaza four times, but those were mostly air strikes or short conflicts. This time, because of the recent attack by Hamas, Israel is expected to be more aggressive. It reminds people of what happened in the 1970s when they launched Operation Litani in response to the Coastal Road massacre.
Coastal Road Massacre: On March 9, 1978, 11 Fatah terrorists from Lebanon entered Israel from the sea and took over a bus on a coastal road near Tel Aviv. They killed 35 Israelis, including 12 children, and injured 71. This was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Israel's history.
The attack happened right before the Israeli Prime Minister was supposed to go to the US to work on peace with Egypt. The Fatah leader in Lebanon later confirmed that the attack was meant to disrupt the peace process, but it didn't work. A year later, a treaty was signed between the two countries.
This attack led to Operation Litani, which was a big Israeli military operation aimed at getting rid of PLO fighters in southern Lebanon.
Operation Litani: Three days after the Coastal Road Massacre, the Israeli military went into Lebanon and tried to push Palestinian fighters north of the Litani River. Israel said there were around 4,000 terrorists in the area.
Israel invaded Lebanon again in 1982, with the goal of removing the PLO, getting rid of Syrian influence, and putting a pro-Israel government in Lebanon.
After that, Israel faced various challenges, including the rise of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which resisted Israeli occupation. Ultimately, Israel withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.
What to Expect: Now, Israel might send troops into Gaza, a place they left in 2005 after occupying it for 38 years. Gaza has been under blockade since Hamas took over in 2007. If this happens, it's likely to be a severe situation, with shortages of food, fuel, water, and electricity.
Israeli leaders will also need to decide how far their retaliation goes, especially to protect hostages held by Hamas. Hamas has threatened to kill an Israeli captive for every time Israel bombs a civilian house without warning.
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