Why has the Gaza ground invasion been delayed since Friday?

Jerusalem Post: Why has the IDF invasion been delayed since Friday? Is Hezbollah waiting to strike until the IDF’s main force is mired in Gaza?  On Thursday, it seemed crystal clear: the IDF counteroffensive on Gaza would begin either Friday or Saturday. The IDF had set certain deadlines for the evacuation of Palestinians from northern Gaza, which expired by Friday afternoon. So what changed?

The delay appears to have been caused by a number of factors, but sources said one of them was growing concern that Hezbollah was waiting for the moment when the bulk of the IDF ground forces would be moved into Gaza to open a full front against the IDF in the north. This will not stop the IDF from invading Gaza, but it will probably cause a delay to better double-check the signs of Hezbollah’s intentions, as well as further reinforce the northern forces in case the worst happens. Other factors holding up the operation include U.S. pressure to avoid civilian casualties, domestic concerns over Israeli hostages in Gaza, and additional time for Palestinians to evacuate. In addition, numerous experts confirm that no one has yet decided what will happen to Gaza after the IDF supposedly overthrows Hamas rule.

This and all the other factors above have Israel’s top officials huffing and puffing, finding new superlative words for what they will do to Hamas… while essentially doing nothing new for about a week now…. while essentially doing nothing new for about a week now. Only after the war will we know whether this extra time was spent wisely in developing a smarter and more effective invasion and post-invasion plan, or whether the delay will be seen as a waste of precious days. 

The entire article can be read at the link https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-768684