[Israel]: Operation Defensive Shield II

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OPERATION DEFENSIVE SHIELD II​

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Objective:	Operation Defensive Shield II will be the primary Israeli response to securing Israeli strategic interests in Areas A, B and C of the West Bank, strengthening the security of Israeli positions adjacent to the Gaza Strip, disrupting any hostile militant activity that may arise, whilst safeguarding key infrastructure and population centers, and establish conditions for sustained operational freedom and regional stability.
Date:	TBC
Location:	West Bank, Gaza and State of Israel
Status:	Preparing

BELLIGERENTS​

Israel Israeli Ground Forces

TBC

LEADERS AND COMMANDERS​

Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister) Naftali Bennett (Minister of Defence) Lieutenant-General Orli Markman (Chief of the Gerneral Staff) Major-General Ella Shado-Shechtmann (Commander of Ground Forces)

N/A

STRENGTH​

Israeli Ground Forces: Gaza Division Northern Gaza Territorial Brigade Northern Gaza Brigade Headquarters (500x Regular Personnel, 20x MDT Davids) North Gaza Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Northern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Central Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Central Gaza Territorial Brigade Central Gaza Brigade Headquarters (500x Regular Personnel, 20x MDT Davids) Deir al-Balah Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Nuseirat Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Southern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Southern Gaza Territorial Brigade Southern Gaza Brigade Headquarters (500x Regular Personnel, 20x MDT Davids) Khan Yunis Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Bani Suheila Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids) Rafah Territorial Infantry Battalion (1,000x Regular Personnel, 40x MDT Davids)

N/A

CASUALTIES AND LOSSES​

None

None

 

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ENCRYPTED
A mobilisation order reached the Gaza Division shortly before dawn. Across military installations in southern Israel, telephones rang, radios became active, and duty officers began passing the same instruction down through the chain of command, the division was being called up for active service and would be repositioned to Camp Tze'elim near Beersheba. The order was clear that the mobilisation was taking place entirely inside Israel. None of the formations were to enter the Gaza Strip at the present time. For the soldiers receiving the order, the immediate task was therefore one of mobilisation, assembly, administration and movement rather than combat operations for now.

At the Northern Gaza Brigade Headquarters, personnel began reporting almost immediately. The headquarters compound gradually filled with soldiers, commanders and support personnel as mobilisation procedures were initiated. The North Gaza Territorial Infantry Battalion, Northern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Central Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion were likewise called up. Soldiers arrived carrying their personal equipment, while administrative personnel worked through lists to establish who had reported, who was still travelling and which personnel required additional processing. Vehicles were brought forward and prepared for the journey, but the atmosphere remained controlled. Everyone understood that the destination was a military installation near Beersheba and that the division would remain on Israeli territory.

The Central Gaza Brigade Headquarters began its own mobilisation shortly afterwards. Its subordinate formations, the Deir al-Balah Territorial Infantry Battalion, Nuseirat Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Southern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion, were called up in succession. The sudden increase in activity transformed the normally routine atmosphere of the installations. Corridors filled with personnel, commanders moved between offices, and logistics staff prepared accommodation and supplies for a large influx of soldiers. There was little information about how long the mobilisation would last, which only added to the uncertainty. Families were contacted where possible, and soldiers were given time to make brief calls home before departing.

The mobilisation of the Southern Gaza Brigade Headquarters followed the same pattern. Personnel from the Khan Yunis Territorial Infantry Battalion, Bani Suheila Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Rafah Territorial Infantry Battalion reported for duty and were processed for movement. Officers repeatedly emphasised the same point: the formations were being relocated within Israel for now. The names of the battalions reflected their organisational designations, but their actual movement would take place entirely on Israeli territory. For many of the younger soldiers, this distinction became a recurring subject of conversation as they waited for their transport.

As the morning progressed, the three brigades began moving toward the Beersheba area. The journey was deliberately uneventful. Military vehicles travelled along established routes, while personnel spent much of the trip sitting quietly, talking among themselves or watching the landscape pass by. Some soldiers slept after the hurried mobilisation. Others remained awake, discussing what active service might mean for them. Senior personnel were occupied with communications and administrative matters, ensuring that the various formations arrived in an orderly fashion.

By the afternoon, the first vehicles reached the receiving base of Camp Tze'elim near Beersheba. The installation had been prepared to accommodate the sudden arrival of a large formation. Personnel were directed toward designated accommodation areas, while vehicles were moved into assigned compounds. Reception staff checked arriving units against their mobilisation records, and commanders established temporary headquarters. The Northern Gaza Brigade Headquarters was followed by the North Gaza Territorial Infantry Battalion, Northern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Central Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion. Before long, the northern formation was established at the base.

The Central Gaza Brigade Headquarters then arrived with the Deir al-Balah Territorial Infantry Battalion, Nuseirat Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Southern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion. The arrival of the central formations added another wave of activity to the installation. Soldiers unloaded personal belongings, located their assigned accommodation and began familiarising themselves with their temporary surroundings. Officers conducted administrative checks while support personnel worked to ensure that food, water and basic facilities were available for the newly arrived personnel.

Later, the Southern Gaza Brigade Headquarters arrived together with the Khan Yunis Territorial Infantry Battalion, Bani Suheila Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Rafah Territorial Infantry Battalion. Their arrival marked the completion of the division's initial concentration. One by one, the vehicles entered the installation and personnel were directed to their assigned areas. What had been scattered mobilisation points across southern Israel had become a single concentrated military presence near Beersheba.

By sunset, the frenetic pace of mobilisation had begun to subside. The three brigade headquarters had established themselves, and all nine territorial infantry battalions were present at the base. Soldiers queued for meals, contacted relatives and began settling into unfamiliar accommodation. Some sat outside their buildings discussing the day's events, while others simply rested after hours of preparation and travel. The enormous scale of the mobilisation was becoming apparent now that everyone was in one place.

Inside the headquarters building, however, the work continued. Officers reviewed personnel figures and confirmed that the three brigades had arrived. Communications personnel maintained contact with the various formations, while administrative staff continued reconciling the mobilisation records. The division's senior leadership now faced the more subdued responsibility of maintaining readiness and keeping thousands of personnel organised during an uncertain period of active service.

Late that evening, the base was quieter. Rows of vehicles stood in the darkness, accommodation blocks were illuminated and occasional movement could still be seen around the headquarters. The Northern Gaza Brigade, Central Gaza Brigade, and Southern Gaza Brigade were now concentrated near Beersheba, with all of their listed formations present.

The division had mobilised without entering Gaza at any point. Its soldiers had been called up inside Israel, assembled, transported south and established at their new base. For the personnel themselves, the uncertainty was perhaps the hardest part. They had received the order, completed the movement and reached their destination, but nobody could say with certainty how long they would remain there or what the following days would bring. For now, however, the Gaza Division was together. The mobilisation was complete, the base was occupied, and the soldiers waited for whatever orders would come next.

 

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ENCRYPTED
An announcement came shortly after sunrise and caught almost everyone by surprise. Israeli officials announced that the border arrangements around Gaza were being fundamentally reorganised. The Erez Crossing would be reopened for civilian movement, while Kerem Shalom Crossing would be designated for commercial cargo. The arrangement was presented as a controlled reopening rather than an unrestricted border opening. Civilians wishing to travel through Erez would first have to apply for and receive the appropriate permit through Israel's Population and Immigration Authority, while security screening and border control procedures would remain in place.

The announcement coincided with the secret redeployment of Northern Gaza Territorial Brigade would be repositioned to the Israeli side of the border in the vicinity of Erez. Its headquarters and subordinate formations, the North Gaza Territorial Infantry Battalion, Northern Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Central Gaza City Territorial Infantry Battalion, would establish themselves at designated Israeli military positions in the area. The units would not enter Gaza. Instead, they would work in conjunction with the Israel Border Police and other Israeli authorities responsible for securing and administering the crossing.

The same arrangement applied in the south. The Southern Gaza Brigade Headquarters, together with the Khan Yunis Territorial Infantry Battalion, Bani Suheila Territorial Infantry Battalion, and Rafah Territorial Infantry Battalion, would reposition to Israeli territory around the Kerem Shalom area near the Egyptian border. Their presence would support the broader security framework surrounding the newly expanded crossing arrangements, while Border Police personnel would remain responsible for civilian border-control functions.

The mobilisation began within hours. At the Northern Gaza Brigade Headquarters, personnel were assembled and informed of their new assignment. Officers explained that their destination was not Gaza but a series of positions on the Israeli side near Erez. The soldiers would be operating alongside Border Police personnel, whose responsibilities included the immediate security and policing environment around the crossing. The distinction between military support and civilian border administration was emphasised repeatedly.

The administrative side of the reopening was equally important. Anyone wishing to travel through Erez would not simply be able to arrive at the crossing and request entry. Palestinian civilians would have to submit an application for a permit through Israel's Population and Immigration Authority. Applications would be reviewed before a person was authorised to travel. Medical patients, students, workers, families and other categories of travellers could therefore find themselves waiting for approval before they were even permitted to approach the crossing.

Inside Gaza, the new system quickly became the subject of intense discussion. Families gathered around televisions and phones trying to understand the new procedures. One man explained to his relatives that the crossing was open, but that opening the gate did not mean everyone could immediately pass through.

"You need a permit," he said.

"From whom?"

"The Population and Immigration Authority."

His sister looked confused.

"So we apply first?"

"Yes."

"And then wait?"

"Yes."

She looked toward her children.

"At least there is something to apply for."

At Erez, Israeli Border Police personnel began working alongside officials responsible for processing civilian movement. The military units positioned nearby remained visibly present, but the immediate handling of travellers was conducted through the established border and policing framework. Personnel checked documents, maintained order around the crossing and directed approved travellers toward the appropriate processing areas.

The first civilians who had received permits arrived cautiously. Many carried only small bags. Some had medical documentation. Others had letters relating to education, employment or family circumstances. Every traveller understood that receiving approval in advance was essential.

A woman stood in line with her son, repeatedly checking the permit on her phone.

"Is this the right one?"

Her son nodded.

"You've checked it three times."

"I want to be certain."

Behind them, Border Police personnel directed travellers toward the next stage of processing.

For the woman, the significance of the moment was not political. She had spent months trying to arrange medical treatment outside Gaza. The permit represented the possibility of finally leaving.

Further south, the Southern Gaza Brigade was completing its repositioning near Kerem Shalom. Its headquarters and three subordinate battalions were established on the Israeli side of the border, while Border Police and other authorities prepared for the new flow of commercial traffic. Unlike Erez, Kerem Shalom was not being presented as the principal civilian passenger crossing. Its purpose was commercial and humanitarian access.

Long lines of trucks began arriving.

The vehicles carried food, medical equipment, water-treatment supplies and other essential goods. Drivers presented documentation while officials processed the shipments. Humanitarian organisations had prepared warehouses and distribution networks inside Gaza in anticipation of the reopening.

The contrast between the two crossings became increasingly obvious.

At Erez, people stood in queues holding permits and travel documents.

At Kerem Shalom, trucks waited with cargo manifests.

The distinction was repeated constantly by officials because the success of the new system depended on keeping the two types of movement organised separately.

By the afternoon, the first significant group of approved civilians had passed through Erez towards the West Bank. Some were travelling for medical reasons. Others were visiting relatives or travelling for education and employment. Their journeys remained subject to the permit system and security checks, but the fact that they were moving at all represented a major psychological change.

Meanwhile, the first expanded commercial convoys began entering through Kerem Shalom. Humanitarian workers inside Gaza received messages confirming that shipments were on their way. Food deliveries could be scheduled more reliably. Medical organisations could begin planning around expected arrivals rather than uncertain possibilities.

At the northern military position, an officer watched the civilian movement from a distance.

"How many have gone through?"

A Border Police colleague checked his information.

"More than expected."

The officer looked toward the crossing.

"And tomorrow?"

"More applications are already being processed."

The officer nodded.

That was when it became clear that the announcement was not merely symbolic. The system was beginning to function.

By evening, the three northern battalions had settled into their positions near Erez, working alongside Border Police personnel and the civilian authorities responsible for the crossing. Further south, the Southern Gaza Brigade and its battalions had completed their repositioning near Kerem Shalom. The formations remained on Israeli territory and had not entered Gaza.

Inside the Population and Immigration Authority, staff continued processing applications late into the evening. Hundreds of civilians were waiting for decisions. Some applications were being approved, others required additional documentation and some were rejected. The permit system remained an essential part of the new arrangement.

For the people waiting in Gaza, the process could be frustrating.

The border was technically open.

But access still required paperwork, approval and patience.

A young man checking his application status on his phone looked at his family.

"Still waiting."

His mother smiled faintly.

"But at least they're accepting applications."

He nodded.

Outside, the lights of the crossing remained visible.

At Erez, Border Police personnel continued working with the civilian authorities while the nearby military units maintained their assigned presence. At Kerem Shalom, trucks continued to move through the commercial facilities.

The first day ended without the border becoming an unrestricted passage.

Instead, something more complicated had emerged: a controlled system in which Erez handled people, Kerem Shalom handled goods, the Population and Immigration Authority administered civilian permits, and Border Police worked alongside the military formations responsible for the surrounding security framework.

For the first time in a long time, however, the word "border" did not simply mean closure.

It meant movement.