Former defense minister Yoav Gallant said on Thursday from the Meir Dagan Conference at the Netanya Academic College that he was concerned that Netanyahu might put his political priorities ahead and continue the war to destroy Hamas before cutting a deal to return the remaining 59 hostages, 22-24 of whom are still alive.
The former defense minister said there was no question that returning the hostages needed to take priority over destroying Hamas, especially given that the Gazan terror group had already been heavily reduced in terms of the threat level it presents.
Gallant said that Netanyahu had failed to cut a deal in the summer of 2024 to return the hostages when a potential deal was in hand.
At the same time, Gallant said he supported the current renewed invasion of Gaza, saying that Hamas would only make a reasonable deal under heavy military pressure.
Still, Gallant drew a line against any extended military occupation of Gaza.
‘Only way to replace Hamas’s political rule in Gaza’
He said that Palestinian groups resisting Hamas, along with moderate Sunni Arab support, were the only way to replace Hamas’s political rule in Gaza.
While he did not say “Palestinian Authority” or “Arab peacekeeping forces,” Gallant has made it clear for several months or more that this is the direction he believes Gaza must go in.
Former IDF chief Herzi Halevi agreed with him, while it is unknown to what extent current IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir has a view on that question or is content to develop military plans and wait for the political clas to decide the question of how to manage Gaza going forward.
