Die Straße nach Gaza -Stadt

In a new essay for *Defining Ideas*, Senior Fellow [Russell A. Berman](https://www.hoover.org/profiles/russell-berman) appraises the plan by the Israeli government “to take control of Gaza City, historically the dominant and largest urban center in the Gaza Strip.” Berman argues that the new plan by Israel to reengage militarily in Gaza City should be understood in the context of the January 2025 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas breaking down. Noting that the proposed Gaza City “invasion has not yet gone into full gear,” Berman says that now is when “war, or the threat of war, turns into politics by other means, to use Clausewitz’s famous formula.” In his view, the credible threat of “a full-fledged invasion has led to an acceleration of negotiation efforts.” Berman’s piece reviews the factors promoting both peace and war, before concluding that “the extensive diplomacy necessary” to embark on a post-conflict governance and rebuilding campaign in Gaza “appears to be lacking.”