2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.
7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
Judges 6-7, King James Version (KJV)
Gideon's Chariots II
"Gideon's Chariot B" is a major military operation launched by Israel 16 September 2025 as the second phase of the larger "Gideon's Chariots" offensive, which began in May 2025. Following the initial phase, which aimed to dismantle Hamas's military infrastructure, the second phase was initiated in September 2025 with the goal of gaining full control of Gaza City.
The operation's name is a biblical reference to the Israelite warrior Gideon, drawing a symbolic link to the military's actions. There was some ambiguity in the naming of the offensive, with media and military sources using "Gideon's Chariot B," "Gideon's Chariots II," and "Gideon's Chariots 2" interchangeably. Gideon's Chariot B is a direct translation or transliteration of the Hebrew name for the operation. Gideon's Chariots II / Gideon's Chariots 2 are English-language designators that explicitly indicate the offensive is the second part of a multi-phase campaign. In Hebrew, each letter of the alphabet has a numerical value. This system is called Gematria, and it has been used since antiquity for numbering, symbolism, and mystical interpretation.
The name generated controversy within Israel, partly due to its similarity to the name of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Some mocked the choice, suggesting it was a self-serving gesture, while others engaged in darker biblical jokes during cabinet discussions. During the 1948 Nakba, the Haganah launched "Operation Gideon" to seize the town of Bisan, leading to the expulsion of its residents. Using the same name today can be interpreted by some as invoking a renewed mission of expulsion or control.
In the Book of Judges, Gideon leads a small, divinely selected army of 300 men to defeat a much larger force of Midianites through cunning tactics rather than sheer numbers. By invoking Gideon, the IDF frames its military campaign as a righteous battle in which faith and strategy triumph over an enemy that is perceived to have superior numbers or asymmetrical advantages.
The story of Gideon emphasizes divine providence and leadership chosen by God. This narrative can inspire morale among Israeli soldiers and reservists and frames the operation within a broader religious context for a domestic audience. The use of biblical imagery also appeals to international evangelical communities who see the Jewish presence in the Holy Land as a prelude to the Second Coming.
The Hebrew word for "chariots," merkavot, is significant. It evokes both ancient war imagery and the modern Israeli Merkava tanks that had been used extensively in Gaza. Critics argue that this fusion of biblical myth with mechanized warfare lends a theological justification to military actions. Commentators from outside Israel suggest that naming the operation after a biblical figure is a propaganda tactic to sanctify violence against Palestinians. Some critics likened the Palestinians to the Midianites, historical enemies of the Israelites, to justify military actions.
Gaza City is Hamas' central stronghold. Large areas had not seen IDF presence since October 7th, and meanwhile, Hamas has rebuilt its networks and infrastructure there. Israeli media reported that the army has completed "Gideon's Chariot", an operation it launched in May with the explicitly stated aim of seizing and occupying territory in the Gaza Strip, and is now discussing further plans of action. Israeli reports on 01 August 2025 indicated growing disagreements about how to proceed in Gaza, with the army chief of staff warning against a full occupation of the Strip.
The public broadcaster Kan reported that Israel submitted a new ceasefire proposal to mediators while also citing an unnamed senior political source who said the US and Israel are looking into other options for the release of all remaining hostages. According to the Ynet news site, the army has effectively completed operation "Gideon's Chariot". It said the army had defeated three Hamas brigades that had been defined as targets in Rafah, Khan Younis, and the northern Gaza Strip. Ynet said two more Hamas brigades remained in Gaza City and in the centre of the strip.
Israel mobilized 60,000 reservists and deployed several Israel Defense Forces (IDF) divisions, including the 36th armor division, for the decisive urban assault. The operation – the initial stage of which proceeded after considerable disagreements and delays – had the participation of two regular army divisions, and would be joined later by another division. Two more divisions are deployed defensively.
The main IDF divisions involved in the Gaza City ground offensive were:
- 162nd "Steel Formation" Division: This veteran infantry and armored division has been heavily involved in fighting in the Gaza Strip since late 2023, including operations in northern Gaza, where they focused on dismantling military infrastructure and clearing areas of Hamas presence. In "Gideon's Chariot B," the 162nd has been tasked with expanding ground operations within the urban core of Gaza City.
- 98th "Fire Formation" Division: The 98th is a paratroopers division with extensive combat experience, particularly in operations targeting Hamas. It is part of the initial wave of the Gaza City offensive, pushing into the city alongside the 162nd. Its troops are engaging Hamas fighters and destroying military assets.
- 36th "Ga'ash" Division: This is an armored division that has been engaged in the Gaza conflict for some time, including operations in southern Gaza. As part of the expansion of "Gideon's Chariot B," the 36th has been deployed to join the assault on Gaza City, adding more ground troops and firepower to the offensive.
Other IDF divisions operating in the wider Gaza Strip include:
- 99th "Ha-Bashtan" Division: This unit is responsible for conducting defensive operations in the Israeli buffer zone established in northern Gaza.
- Gaza Division: This division focuses on security operations along the border and conducts offensive activities in the southern areas of the Strip, specifically in the Rafah and Khan Younis regions.
The 60,000 newly mobilized reservists had been assigned less-intensive but still highly dangerous roles. Some are securing the "partition corridors" that bisect Gaza to maintain Israeli control, while others are replacing regular soldiers on Israel's northern border and in the West Bank. This frees up more experienced regular army units to focus on the main offensive. Despite being assigned to more static positions, reservist battalions face high risk, particularly from Hamas guerrilla-style ambushes and mortar attacks. Reports also indicate significant psychological distress, exhaustion, and declining morale among reservists who had been mobilized for long periods.
For the IDF, the heavy reliance on reservists put a strain on the IDF's ability to wage a sustained conflict and risks weakening the armed forces over time. Economically, the prolonged mobilization of reservists has been a significant drain on Israel's labor market. The repeated call-ups had also exacerbated social tensions, particularly regarding the exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Israelis from military service.
A heavy barrage of airstrikes preceded the ground forces' entry into new sectors of Gaza City in what is expected to be a methodical and intense campaign. The operation has raised significant humanitarian concerns, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were reported to be still in Gaza City despite calls for evacuation. International human rights organizations voiced alarm over the potential impact on the civilian population.
The IDF engaged in a gradual, precise and targeted operation inside Gaza City, designed to dismantle Hamas' largest remaining stronghold while exerting every effort to protect civilians who live under its rule. It's an operation shaped by both military necessity and humanitarian considerations, and the two actually align. Since October 7th, Gaza City has remained the central hub for Hamas' terror operations.
About 300,000 people had fled Gaza City as Israel intensified strikes, Israel's Army Radio reported on 14 Septembe 2025, citing security officials. Israeli attacks, mainly in the northern Gaza Strip, killed at least 68 Palestinians and wounded 346 others in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said. The strikes destroyed at least two multi-storey buildings in Gaza City, including one belonging to the Islamic University that was sheltering displaced people. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz shared a video on social media showing the university building being bombed and collapsing.
Israel established a humanitarian zone ready to receive civilians from Gaza City with additional food, water, tents and improved medical response. The IDF gsve up the element of surprise in order to let civilians get out of harms way. The IDF designated a route to move to the humanitarian zone and communicated it publicly through leaflets, SMS, phone calls and on social media. Hamas was preventing civilians from moving out of the war zone and asking them to stay as human shields.
The military operation referred to as Gideon's Chariot 2 was not officially declared an occupation. However, its character on the ground strongly resembles one. Following the Six-Day War in 1967, when Israel occupied Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and the Sinai Peninsula, it intensified settlement building. Over the next three decades, a total of 21 settlements were built, housing some 8,000 settlers. Although settlers made up just 0.6 percent of Gaza's population, they controlled roughly 20 percent of its land, affecting about 1.3 million Palestinians living in the territory at the time. Israeli settlements are Jewish-only communities built on Palestinian land. Settlements are illegal under international law because they involve transferring an occupying power's civilian population into occupied territory, which violates the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The military effort was reinforced by a large-scale mobilization of personnel. A phased conscription has been approved. The main wave, composed of 60,000 reservists was expected to report by September 2, with additional groups to follow through the fall and winter. This is not a tactical raid but a prolonged urban combat campaign that will be measured not by military markers on a map but by the ability to sustain logistical flow and personnel rotations under intense conditions.
Israel's top military leadership had warned that a complete takeover of Gaza would come with heavy casualties and heightened risks to hostages. For this reason, earlier operations deliberately avoided areas where hostages were likely being held. Leaked assessments suggest that the General Staff had proposed a strategy centered on encircling Gaza City and applying incremental pressure over time. However, the political leadership opted instead for speed and direct assault. The casualties already numbered in the hundreds, and major urban combat has yet to begin.
The domestic opposition has made its stance clear. After a security briefing, opposition leader Yair Lapid stated that a new occupation of Gaza would be a grave mistake and one for which Israel would pay a high price. Pressure on the government is mounting both internally, through weekly demonstrations demanding a hostage deal, and externally. Countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Malta are preparing to take steps toward recognizing Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September. In the language of international diplomacy, this move signals a counterbalance to both Hamas's hardline stance and Israel's rightward territorial ambitions. The more forcefully Israel insists on capturing Gaza at all costs, the stronger the global response becomes in favor of formalizing Palestine's status.
A UN report illustrates the magnitude of the crisis. For the first time, the Food and Agriculture Organization officially declared catastrophic hunger in Gaza, reaching the fifth and highest level of the Integrated Food Security Classification, or IPC. By the end of September, more than 640,000 people are expected to face total food deprivation. Yet even this alarming assessment has not shifted the current trajectory. Western European declarations of intent to recognize Palestinian statehood had also failed to become decisive turning points.
In early August 2025, Benjamin Netanyahu dispelled any lingering ambiguity. In a direct interview with Fox News, he made explicit what had long been implied through diplomatic euphemisms: Israel intends to take full military control of the Gaza, dismantle Hamas as a political and military entity, and eventually transfer authority to a "non-Hamas civilian administration," ideally with Arab participation. "We're not going to govern Gaza," the prime minister added. But even then, the formula of "seize but not rule" read more like a diplomatic veil for a much harsher course of action. The very next day, Israel's security cabinet gave formal approval to this trajectory, initiating preparations for an assault on Gaza City. The UN secretary-general responded swiftly, warning that such an operation risked a dangerous escalation and threatened to normalize what had once been an avoidable humanitarian catastrophe.
A White House peace plan for Gaza released ahead of the press conference proposes an end to the war in Gaza and the return of all hostages held there, living and dead, within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement. If both sides agree to the proposal, “the war will immediately end,” according to the plan. Israeli forces will withdraw to agreed upon lines to prepare for the hostage release. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans who were detained after the start of the war on October 7, 2023, the plan said.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Gaza, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The Palestinian Authority reiterated its commitment to work with the US and partners to reach a comprehensive deal that includes “paving the way for a just peace on the basis of a two-state solution", WAFA reported.
Tony Blair hailed as "bold and intelligent" a move US President Donald Trump's plan for ending the war in Gaza, in which the British former prime minister is due to play a key role. "President Trump has put down a bold and intelligent plan which, if agreed, can end the war, bring immediate relief to Gaza, the chance of a brighter and better future for its people, whilst ensuring Israel's absolute and enduring security and the release of all hostages," Blair said in a statement. Under the plan, Blair is due to be part of a transitional "Board of Peace" in Gaza that will be chaired by Trump.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich outlined a series of "red lines", saying Israel's security relied on "actions, our hold on the land, and uncompromising enforcement that depends solely on the (Israeli military) and our defence establishment". He demanded the military "remain permanently at the perimeter, including the Philadelphi Corridor (and) will maintain full operational freedom throughout the entire Gaza Strip".
European Union chief Antonio Costa on 29 September 2025 urged all parties to "seize this moment to give peace a genuine chance" after US President Donald Trump announced his plan to end the war in Gaza. "I welcome President Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza and I am encouraged by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s positive response," Costa said on X. "The situation in Gaza is intolerable. Hostilities must end, and all hostages must be released immediately," he added.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt welcomed Trump's announcement to end the war in Gaza, according to a joint statement. The ministers, along with other Arab and Islamic foreign ministers, said they were ready to cooperate positively with the US and the relevant parties to finalise the agreement and ensure its implementation.
Israeli right-wing critics argue the deal abandons original war aims of demilitarizing Gaza, eliminating Hamas, and excluding both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority from future governance. They view it as essentially another prisoner swap that allows Hamas to remain in Gaza and potentially resume attacks after Israeli troops withdraw. How the Gaza ceasefire could fall apart.
Iranian officials had warned Hamas against trusting Trump, with Iran's Quds Force reportedly working with Hamas elements opposed to disarmament. Iran views the "resistance" as essential for regional security and is exploring ways to establish a possible successor to Hamas if needed, with senior Iranian officials making regional trips to explore "new opportunities."
Hamas representatives denied rumors they're ready to disarm as the Trump plan requires, with Hamas' Tehran representative calling such reports "not true."
Islamic Jihad, the Palestinian militant group fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza, slammed Trump's plan to end the war, saying it would fuel further aggression against Palestinians. "It is a recipe for continued aggression against the Palestinian people. Through this, Israel is attempting - via the United States - to impose what it could not achieve through war," the group said in a statement. "Therefore, we consider the American-Israeli declaration a formula for igniting the region."
In presenting a Gaza plan as an ultimatum to Hamas, US President Donald Trump turned the tables to give Israel the advantage diplomatically – and an even freer rein on the ground if a deal fails. The White House released a 21-point plan that would end Israel's relentless nearly two-year offensive in Gaza, win the freedom of hostages and declare a special economic zone under Trump's tutelage. Both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump warned Hamas, whose unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack ignited the war, with Trump saying that the group would "pay in hell" if it did not accept the plan within days.
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