Israeli forces are moving slowly in their ground offensive in Gaza in part to keep open the possibility of drawing Palestinian fighters to negotiate the release of more than 200 hostages, military specialists consulted by Reuters said.

The relative caution with which Israeli troops have taken and secured slices of territory in the first days of sustained ground incursions in Gaza stands in contrast to the past three weeks of unrelenting air strikes on the besieged enclave, as well as to Israel’s previous land offensives there.

Not going directly into Gaza’s most built-up areas with the full force of Israel’s ground troops is simultaneously aimed at wearing Hamas’ leadership down with a long campaign, while leaving space for a possible deal over those held as hostages, according to the assessment of three Israeli security sources.

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