Hamas cannot be completely eliminated : Israel’s military commander

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the Israeli military

Tel Aviv (Israel) – Despite over 8 months of conflict in the Gaza Strip, Israel has not achieved its desired success. This prolonged war is straining the relationship between the country’s military leadership and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An Israeli military spokesperson has stated that “Hamas cannot be completely eliminated,” casting doubt on Netanyahu’s assertion that the “total destruction of Hamas is the government’s most important war objective.” This statement has sparked significant discussion in Israel, with many interpreting it as indicative of a rift between the military and the government despite the military’s subsequent clarifications.

In an interview with Channel 13, Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, stated that claiming “Hamas can be completely eliminated” is akin to “throwing dust in the eyes of the public.” He emphasized that telling the public there will be no terrorists, military officers, rockets, or armed men in Gaza is a lie, asserting that “there will be terror in Gaza” as Hamas is an idea deeply rooted in the hearts of Gazans.

Following Hagari’s statement, the military clarified that it remained committed to the government’s war aims and that Hagari was only referring to Hamas as an ideology. This statement has sparked significant discussion in Israel, with many interpreting it as indicative of a rift between the military and the government despite the military’s subsequent clarifications.