KAN-Netanyahu To Ministers: 3rd Phase Of War 'To Take 6 Months'

Israel's public broadcaster KAN is reporting that PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said to his national unity cabinet that the third phase of fighting in the Gaza Strip will take around six months to complete. The first two phases as identified by Netanyahu were the initial aerial bombardment, followed by the IDF ground offensive.

• KAN: "The third phase is expected to include the end of ground maneuvers, reduction of forces, release of reservists and transition to raids In addition to this, in the third phase they are expected to establish a kind of security zone in the Gaza Strip."
• The Israeli gov't is coming under increasing pressure from its allies to scale back its military operations in Gaza, with some (notably not the US) calling for a ceasefire to allow for humanitarian relief.
• Attending a meeting of EU foreign minsiters on 22 Jan, Israeli FM Yisrael Katz was seen to have "sidesteppeddiscussion of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict". A continuation of the conflict through Netanyahu's six month timeframe is likely to see the voices calling for a ceasefire, and indeed a two-state solution, become louder.
• It could also prolong the state of heightened tensions within the Middle East, as Israel's adversaries in the form of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis continue to launch rocket/missile attacks or engage in other destabilising activities.