BarcelonaThe words of the IDF spokesman, in a television interview, once again highlighted the internal tension between the army and Netanyahu’s government, as the war in Gaza has been drawing to a close for nine months. “This talk about destroying Hamas, making Hamas disappear, is just throwing ashes in the eyes of public opinion. Hamas is an ideology, it is a party. You cannot destroy an idea rooted in the hearts of the people. Who believes? That we can eliminate Hamas if the government does not find an alternative.” [per governar Gaza]“It will continue,” Brigadier General Daniel Hagari said Wednesday evening, an open challenge to the main goal set by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who responded Thursday by reminding the military that their goals are those set by the government.
Hagari went further, admitting that Israel is “paying a heavy price for the war” and that the army is doing “everything in its power” to eliminate Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, as well as to rescue all hostages being held in Gaza. Gaza Strip since October 7th. But he also emphasized that they would not be able to liberate them all through military action alone. This is the opposite of what Netanyahu promises every day, as the families of the hostages demonstrate and block roads, demanding a ceasefire and early elections. An official Israeli report issued today, Thursday, indicates that of the 120 prisoners kidnapped in Gaza, only fifty remained alive. Many relatives accused Netanyahu of shortsightedness in removing them to end the problem.
The army responded to Netanyahu’s response by claiming that its spokesman had made it perfectly clear that he was referring to the annihilation of Hamas as an ideology and that its soldiers were fighting “day and night” to achieve the goals. In fact, he accused Netanyahu of taking his words out of context. “Commanders and their subordinates are fighting with determination and determination to destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and Hamas’ governmental and organizational infrastructure,” which the military refers to as a “clear military objective.” Netanyahu continues to say that “absolute victory” calls for eliminating the Palestinian militia at any cost. His army is telling him clearly with each passing day that this goal is unrealistic.
Hamas is an ideology, it is a party. You cannot destroy an idea rooted in people’s hearts. Whoever thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong. ”
Airy contrasts
This is not the first time that divisions between the army and the Israeli government have become clear. A month ago, Hagari himself indicated that Israel could not win the war in Gaza; He called for a step back and rethinking what Netanyahu does not have: an exit strategy with a political plan for the next day in Gaza. It was for this same reason that L“Former general and opposition leader Benny Gantz has left the war governmentWhich forced the Prime Minister to dissolve it before bringing in the far-right ministers who are part of his ruling coalition. In his resignation speech, Gantz accused Netanyahu of avoiding making crucial strategic decisions for political reasons and warned that “true victory must combine military success with a civilian and diplomatic initiative” to put someone else in Hamas’ place. Hajri repeated the same thing: “We cannot eliminate Hamas, but what we can do is create something else in its place, something else that makes the population realize that there is someone else distributing food, occupying public services… This is the way to seriously weaken Hamas.” .
The contradictions also reached the conduct of the war itself. This week, the army announced an 11-hour “tactical truce” in southern Gaza To allow humanitarian aid in, an idea that Netanyahu later rejected as “inconceivable.” Netanyahu himself said that in order to destroy Hamas, he had to make decisions that were not always acceptable to military leaders.
On Tuesday, Yaakov Bardugo, one of Netanyahu’s advisors, published an article in which he accused the military leadership of wanting to allow Hamas to continue in power in Gaza. A military spokesman came out to strongly deny this: “It is a very dangerous lie that has no basis in truth.”
Attacks continue in Gaza
In light of the tensions between the army and the executive authority, the devastating Israeli attack continues. This Thursday, there was ground and air bombardment on the refugee camps in Nuseirat, Al-Maghazi (the area declared “safe” by the army when the invasion of Rafah began) and Al-Bureij, as well as in the city of Deir Al-Balah. The army confirmed that it killed Ahmed Hassan Salama, the commander of Hamas’ elite force, who was to participate in the October 7 attacks. In Rafah, Israeli tanks had already advanced over the entire city, where 80% of Gaza’s population, 1.7 million people, had taken refuge, and now only 100,000 people remained. Local authorities counted 37,431 dead and 85,653 wounded, in addition to about 15,000 missing people.
Tension on the border with Lebanon
On the second front, on the northern border of Israel, clashes continue between Israeli forces and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Skirmishes in the region have escalated in recent weeks, with Netanyahu threatening “all-out war” and militia leader Hassan Nasrallah threatening on Wednesday to attack Cyprus if it allows Israel to use its bases for military training. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides responded by emphasizing that his country “has no role and is not part of the problem.”
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