The nine months in Gaza are skirmishes that provide prepping for a much larger war. Not only does the IDF degrade the jihadis in Gaza and the WB, but those coordinated battles are important for real-time training for reservists and new recruits. Gaza is an extended combat exercises that attempts to rotate into Gaza as many IDF personnel as possible. These skirmishes speed up the IDF readiness. And not to discount they also facilitate many jihadis to next next stage of existence.