06/20/2024

Rift Between Netanyahu and Israeli Military Widens over Hamas Elimination

The IDF says Hamas is an idea that cannot be eliminated

A television interview followed by a sharp government response is the latest evidence of a deepening rift between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military over whether Hamas can be eliminated and the lack of a broader day-after plan for the end of the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu and his office have repeatedly stated that the main goal of the war is the destruction of Hamas, but they have avoided talking about how the Gaza Strip would be governed afterward — something the military insists needs to be established.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said in an interview late Wednesday with Channel 13: "Hamas cannot be destroyed. Hamas is an idea. Those who think it can be made to disappear are wrong."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.