In recent days, the IDF has halted proactive strikes in the Gaza Strip, shifting from a policy of offensive operations to one of near-total restraint.

The report comes after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced during Sunday’s security cabinet meeting that Israel is rejecting the Peace Council’s 15-point plan for Gaza, declaring that the IDF will not withdraw from the Strip until Hamas has been fully and genuinely disarmed. Channel 12 later reported that Trump administration officials were not concerned by Netanyahu’s declaration, viewing his remarks as driven by election considerations and noting that Israel has, in practice, refrained from carrying out strikes in Gaza for the past five days.

Commanders told Ynet that any operation beyond the Yellow Line — even opening fire on armed terrorists — now requires approval from the highest levels, with some strikes requiring direct authorization from the IDF Chief of Staff. Senior officers and soldiers said that while targeted killings had previously been carried out on a daily basis thanks to broad operational freedom, the Gaza Strip has now been almost completely quiet.

The shift marks a significant departure from the IDF’s previous policy, under which troops, guided by military intelligence, carried out daily targeted strikes against terror targets.

“There were targeted killings here every day, sometimes several times a day,” one officer said. “We were hunting them down. They felt hunted and kept moving from place to place, but because we were constantly pursuing them, many operational opportunities arose. When you don’t have to seek approval from too high up the chain of command, you can act quickly and take advantage of those opportunities. Now it’s quiet. There’s nothing happening.”

Officers emphasized to Ynet, however, that the new policy does not place IDF troops in Gaza in immediate danger, since forces remain authorized to respond immediately to threats. Battalion commanders on the ground can eliminate any immediate threat to their forces without waiting for higher-level approval.

Nevertheless, an officer interviewed for the report warned against the shift to a static posture, saying Hamas is likely to exploit the quiet to rebuild its capabilities. He compared the situation to the period in Lebanon following Operation Northern Arrow, when IDF forces enjoyed broad freedom of action against Hezbollah before the “ceasefire” took effect.

“We were constantly firing at Hezbollah terrorists there, and we had freedom of action until Operation Roaring Lion. It’s true that the situation was different because they had been pushed back, but in terms of the use of fire, we were routinely striking them without coming under fire ourselves. The same was true in Gaza. Now that has changed.”

Soldiers stationed in Gaza told Ynet that the enemy quickly recognizes and exploits changes in the IDF’s operational behavior.

“They see what’s happening. They’re not stupid. After months of constantly hearing strikes, suddenly everything is quiet. They understand that something has changed,” one officer said. “I assume they’ll start rebuilding things they wanted to rebuild but couldn’t while the strikes were continuing. The terrorists haven’t disappeared. They’re trying to adapt to the new situation.”

Another officer serving in Gaza said: “No one is under any illusion that Hamas is going to disarm. It’s only a matter of time before something happens — tunnels, weapons transfers or something else — and then we’ll return to the previous approach.”

In addition, although IDF troops remain authorized to respond to threats within the Yellow Line, the rules of engagement there have also changed.

“We are stunned by the recent change in the rules of engagement,” a reserve officer told Ynet. “Going from the straightforward order to neutralize any enemy who crosses the Yellow Line toward us to a suspect-arrest procedure that ends with a shot to the legs is the beginning of a slippery slope.”

“The command has become complacent and believes Hamas is deterred, but we can see them reorganizing, and we know that the crossings of the Yellow Line are part of a systematic effort to test our deployment. The enemy has the intent, the means and the ability to carry out significant offensive operations.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)