IDF's Elite 98th Division Concludes Major Gaza Operation

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced this Thursday morning that the elite 98th Division will withdraw from the Gaza Strip in the coming days, signaling a nearing conclusion to the "Gideon’s Chariots" operation. The division has been active in Gaza since the end of the war with Iran, conducting operations in northern neighborhoods of Gaza City such as Shuja’iyya and Zeitoun, as well as in Khan Younis in the south. The IDF has not stated whether another unit will replace it.

According to the military, the decision to end the division’s presence in northern Gaza was made “in accordance with operational planning and the combat timeline.” During its deployment, the 98th Division reportedly destroyed over 1,500 Hamas terror infrastructures and eliminated dozens of militants.

“The forces significantly weakened Hamas’s Shuja’iyya Battalion, which participated in the October 7 attack on southern Israel,” the IDF stated. “Several militants involved in the October 7 massacre were also killed, in coordinated strikes involving ground troops, air force units, and Shin Bet intelligence.”

Operation Nears Conclusion After Heavy Toll

The Gideon’s Chariots operation, during which 41 IDF soldiers and officers were killed, is expected to officially conclude in the coming days. A senior military officer emphasized the campaign’s strategic value:

“No soldier fell in vain. Their sacrifice led to the collapse of three Hamas brigades and contributed directly to the effort to free the hostages.”

Among those eliminated during the operation were three senior Hamas commanders, including the brother of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, described as more extreme than Sinwar himself. Also killed were Rafah Brigade Commander Mohammed Shabaneh and senior Hamas military council member Hakam al-Issa. In total, the IDF reports killing eight battalion commanders, 39 company commanders, and approximately 1,500 Hamas fighters.

Transition times (Photo: Flash90/Oren Cohen)

Tensions Erupt in Israeli Cabinet

On Monday, a tense exchange unfolded during a security cabinet meeting between IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Zamir warned that a full military occupation of Gaza would require years and instead recommended continued targeted raids.

Smotrich, reportedly angered by the remarks, interrupted Zamir and said, “We already miss Herzi Halevi. You owe him an apology. You attacked him for saying the exact same thing.”

As the military prepares to wind down its presence, political and strategic discussions continue over the future of the Gaza Strip and Israel’s long-term objectives in the region.