At the Meir Dagan Conference held at the Netanya Academic College on Thursday, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expressed concern that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu might prioritize his political goals and prolong the war aimed at dismantling Hamas, even at the cost of delaying an agreement to bring home the remaining 59 hostages. Gallant noted that between 22 and 24 of these hostages are still alive.
Gallant emphasized that returning the hostages should be the primary focus, especially now that Hamas has already been significantly weakened in terms of its threat to Israel.
The former defense minister also pointed out that Netanyahu missed an opportunity in the summer of 2024 to finalize a deal for the return of the hostages when one was reportedly within reach.
At the same time, Gallant voiced his support for the ongoing military operation in Gaza, stating that only by applying substantial military pressure would Hamas be compelled to negotiate a reasonable agreement.
However, Gallant drew a firm line against the idea of a prolonged military occupation of Gaza.
He argued that the solution for Gaza’s future lay with Palestinian groups opposed to Hamas, as well as the support of moderate Sunni Arab nations, who he believes are key to replacing Hamas’s political control in the region.
While Gallant refrained from explicitly mentioning the “Palestinian Authority” or “Arab peacekeeping forces,” he has made his position clear over several months: he believes these elements should play a central role in Gaza’s post-Hamas governance.
Herzi Halevi, the former IDF chief, echoed Gallant’s sentiments, although it remains uncertain whether the current IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, shares this view or prefers to focus on military strategies while awaiting political decisions on how Gaza should be managed in the future.
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