Former senior officer: 'There was an opportunity to defeat Hamas like the PLO in Lebanon'

Brigadier General (res.) Guy Hazut, who served as head of the Ground Forces training division during the "Iron Swords" war, explained in an interview with 103FM radio on Monday why Israel failed to achieve real results during three years of war in the Gaza Strip.

"In this war, we found it very difficult to translate the tremendous tactical achievements attained by the IDF into political gains," Hazut noted. "One must understand what was happening in November 2023 before the situation in Gaza became complicated. Israel launched a decisive maneuver that was so effective and lethal that Hamas did something it had never done before: it pushed for a ceasefire. Why did Hamas take that step? Because it understood that it was facing an army conducting a decisive battle."

According to the general, there was an opportunity to defeat Hamas just as Israel forced the PLO to leave Lebanon. "If we had fought according to our principles, we would have managed to defeat Hamas," he emphasized.

Hazut’s interview followed remarks made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the cabinet meeting, where he confirmed that Israel rejects the 15-point document concerning the Gaza Strip.

"The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until the real disarmament of Hamas and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens," Netanyahu added.

US President Donald Trump announced about a week ago that the Peace Council had reached a "historic agreement" on the complete disarmament of Hamas and all other armed groups in the Gaza Strip. "This is a huge step on the path to peace and sustainable security," the American president stated.