Israel still cautious to undertake ground offensive despite its strong rhetoric – Analyst

Israeli soldiers went into Gaza again last night.

In the past hour, we have heard loud sounds of war coming from the sea. We are in southern Israel, about 10km away from Gaza.

The loud sounds of big guns and tanks firing, Israeli military planes flying above, and a big cloud of smoke coming from Gaza show that something serious is happening there this morning.

In the past, Israelis have always had a tendency to take immediate action, address problems as they come up, act quickly and be a little reckless.

However, now there is some doubt or uncertainty. This is partly because of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s personality. Although he talks tough, he has never started a war for Israel.

He always is very careful and concerned about consequences, and he is afraid he might be forgotten in politics, especially if military action goes very wrong.

Netanyahu is already facing trial for very serious corruption charges. If found guilty, he might be sent to jail. This makes him worry about protecting himself, which further fuels his instinct to protect himself.

Also, there are 229 hostages which are making things more difficult.

Israeli people have had enough time to consider this matter. There are many people, including families, who strongly believe that sending soldiers into Gaza is dangerous. This belief is certainly one of the reasons the ground attack has been postponed.
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