I'm not understanding why Hama's proposal that the Israeli forces withdraw is so awful. After all, Gaza is from about 4 to 7.5 miles wide; a tank going 25 mph (a low speed for tanks) could get all the way across in 18 minutes from the eastern border of Gaza (9.5 minutes for the narrower parts, which include Northern and much of Central Gaza). If Hamas violates its side by failing to release prisoners the tanks could roll (and troops could get all the way across at many points at a fast walking pace in under an hour.) As for the cease-fire part: lobbing missiles is the major thing Hamas could do to violate it; if the troops are on the border there really isn't anyone in Gaza to fire at.
The part that's unworkable is Bibi's insistence that every last Hamas member be killed before the war is over. Does that include any Palestinian who has joined the fighting since the war began, not the party itself, because his family and friends were and continue to be killed or injured? It's pretty clear that the proposal itself does not contemplate leaving Hamas in power after the war.
Actually, I chose the lowest MPH I could find on tank speed. I am not talking Gaza the City—look it up. Gaza the City is not 41 miles north to south. I am talking the distance from border to sea. Gaza as a whole is about two square miles more than Seattle, and about the same shape.
So what if they set up barricades etc? All within the day or so they fail to release the prisoners and the troops can re-enter? The point is to end the war at which point there is (checks notes) nothing to ambush or blow up with mines.
The drinking fountain map is priceless.
I'm not understanding why Hama's proposal that the Israeli forces withdraw is so awful. After all, Gaza is from about 4 to 7.5 miles wide; a tank going 25 mph (a low speed for tanks) could get all the way across in 18 minutes from the eastern border of Gaza (9.5 minutes for the narrower parts, which include Northern and much of Central Gaza). If Hamas violates its side by failing to release prisoners the tanks could roll (and troops could get all the way across at many points at a fast walking pace in under an hour.) As for the cease-fire part: lobbing missiles is the major thing Hamas could do to violate it; if the troops are on the border there really isn't anyone in Gaza to fire at.
The part that's unworkable is Bibi's insistence that every last Hamas member be killed before the war is over. Does that include any Palestinian who has joined the fighting since the war began, not the party itself, because his family and friends were and continue to be killed or injured? It's pretty clear that the proposal itself does not contemplate leaving Hamas in power after the war.
a) Gaza is a city, your math assumes it is flat ground. It is not. Finding passable routes for tanks is non-trivial, especially because
b) allowing Hamas fighters to re-occupy ground allows them to set up ambushes, barricades, mines, and other defenses.
Actually, I chose the lowest MPH I could find on tank speed. I am not talking Gaza the City—look it up. Gaza the City is not 41 miles north to south. I am talking the distance from border to sea. Gaza as a whole is about two square miles more than Seattle, and about the same shape.
So what if they set up barricades etc? All within the day or so they fail to release the prisoners and the troops can re-enter? The point is to end the war at which point there is (checks notes) nothing to ambush or blow up with mines.