“Hamas will not be eliminated as long as an alternative government will not be set up in Gaza,” said Yaïr Lapid, calling for consultation with Arab countries, including Egypt, so that they take control of the Gaza Strip.
The head of the Israeli opposition Yaïr Lapid said on Monday that Israel had “No more interest in continuing the war in Gaza”during the weekly meeting of his parliamentary group. “The State of Israel has no interest in continuing the war in Gaza, it only causes damage on the security, political and economic level”said Yaïr Lapid in front of the elected officials of his center of center right Yesh Atid.
He also said that the army shared its point of view, while recalling that Israeli soldiers would die regularly in the Palestinian coastal territory – at least 442 since the start of the land offensive on October 27, 2023, according to the authorities.
“The chief of staff Eyal Zamir appeared yesterday (Sunday) in front of the cabinet and said that political authorities were to decide on the next objective. This means that the army no longer has any objective in Gaza ”said the head of the opposition while listing the harmful consequences of the war on the economy.
56,531 Palestinian dead, 49 Israeli hostages
The war was launched after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel, on October 7, 2023, Israel then swore to destroy the Palestinian Islamist movement, but after more than 20 months of war, Hamas still exists in the Gaza Strip. “Hamas will not be eliminated as long as an alternative government will not be implemented in Gaza”explained the latter by calling for consultation with Arab countries, including Egypt, so that they take control of the Gaza Strip – which no country has said for the moment.
Yaïr Lapid is known for his positions against the current Israeli government, one of the most right in the history of the country. After the ceasefire entered into force with Iran on June 24, the Israeli chief of staff announced that the army was concentrated “Again on Gaza, to bring the hostages back to home and dismantle the Hamas regime”. Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu had mentioned on Sunday “opportunities” For the release of the hostages in Gaza, but no solid track has been advanced so far.
Of the 251 people kidnapped in Israel on October 7, 2023, 49 are still retained in Gaza, 27 of whom were declared dead by the Israeli army. The devastating offensive of the Israeli army in Gaza left 56,531 dead, mainly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health of Hamas, deemed reliable by the UN. War also caused a humanitarian disaster in the besieged territory.
