Netanyahu contradicts
Israel’s army spokesman: “Cannot completely destroy Hamas”
20.06.2024, 00:13
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
After October 7, Israel’s armed forces entered the Gaza Strip with two goals: the release of the hostages and the elimination of Hamas. Eight months later, army spokesman Hagari expressed doubts as to whether the plans could be realized.
Army spokesman Daniel Hagari has questioned the Israeli government’s promise to completely destroy the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas. “Hamas is an idea, it is a party. It is rooted in the hearts of the people. Anyone who thinks we can eliminate Hamas is mistaken,” Hagari told Channel 13. “To say that we will make sure that Hamas disappears is to pull the wool over people’s eyes.”
From Hagari’s point of view, Israel must think about what will happen in the Gaza Strip after Hamas: “If we do not offer an alternative, we will end up with Hamas,” said the Israeli army spokesman.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who says he wants to lead the Gaza war until Hamas is completely defeated, immediately rejected the comments. “The political cabinet and the security cabinet led by Prime Minister Netanyahu have set the destruction of Hamas’ military and government capabilities as one of the goals of the war,” the statement said. The Israeli army is “naturally committed” to this goal. The military then stressed in a statement on Telegram that Hagari’s comments referred to the “ideology” of Hamas.
Still far from victory over Hamas
Netanyahu has not yet presented a plan for the administration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the war ends – nor an exit strategy. Almost a month ago, “Politico” Citing US intelligence information, he said that around a third of the Hamas fighters who were active before October 7 had been killed. At the same time, however, the terrorist organization was able to recruit thousands of new fighters during the course of the war. 65 percent of the tunnels under the Gaza Strip are still intact.
Under these circumstances, the Israeli government has no intention of giving up security control over the Gaza Strip. However, this would be a prerequisite for an administration under Palestinian leadership. Netanyahu’s ultra-right coalition partners, on whom his political survival depends, are pursuing their own goals anyway and are in favor of Israeli settlement construction in the Gaza Strip.
Recently, there have been increasing complaints from the army about a lack of a political strategy for the post-war period. Former General Benny Gantz recently left the war cabinet because the government had not developed a plan for a post-war order in the Gaza Strip.
Military spokesman Hagari warned in the interview that it would not be possible to free all the hostages held in the Gaza Strip through military operations. Efforts have been underway for months to use indirect negotiations to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Hamas to release Israeli hostages. Hamas has not agreed to a proposal by the US government on how both goals could be achieved step by step. Israel’s government has left its position on the plan open.