The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reproached his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, this Monday for his recent statements in a parliamentary committee, casting doubt on the concept of “absolute victory” over Hamas that the president defends to continue the war in Loop.
“When Gallant adopts the anti-Israel narrative, he damages the chances of reaching an agreement for the release of the hostages” in the Gaza Strip, the prime minister's office said in a message.
The Defense Minister, who in the past has shown his discontent with Netanyahu for not having a clear post-war plan for the Palestinian enclave, He said today during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) that the concept of absolute victory is “a hoax.”
“The reason why the (ceasefire) agreement is delayed is, among others, Israel,” the minister said, according to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, which collected their statements.
Netanyahu's office, in response, said the only obstacle to reaching a deal in Gaza is the Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, the main person responsible for the October 7 attacks and who remains hidden in the Strip.
“Israel has only one option: to achieve absolute victory, which means the elimination of Hamas's military and government capabilities, and the release of the hostages, and this victory will be achieved,” the office insisted.
The disagreement occurs in the midst of negotiations to reach a truce agreement in Gaza that will allow the release of the Israeli hostages who still remain in Gaza.
A meeting called by the mediators (Egypt, the United States and Qatar) is scheduled to take place this Thursday to try to relaunch the negotiations. which were called into question after the death of the former political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.
The terrorist group, however, has said that it will not attend the new meeting, and called for implementing what has already been agreed upon (the draft truce announced by the United States at the end of May) instead of continuing with new rounds of negotiations.
Netanyahu's reproaches also come after weeks of speculation in the Israeli press about the alleged plans of the president to dismiss his Minister of Defense, plans that would have been put on hold in the midst of tension with Iran and Hezbollah and due to the foreseeable rejection of the decision by Israeli society.
The Israeli president already tried to dismiss Gallant in March of last year due to the minister's opposition to judicial reform (which sought to give Parliament greater control over the country's judicial bodies), but was forced to keep him in office after that his decision would aggravate the already strong protests against him.
Agencies contributed to this Aurora article.