Gadi Eizenkot has expressed his views on the war in Gaza, emphasizing the need for a deal to ensure the safe release of captives held in the region. As a former military chief and a war cabinet minister, Eizenkot believes that prioritizing the fate of the captives should be the primary focus, even if it means missing out on an opportunity to target the political leader of Hamas. He also highlighted the unlikelihood of a successful rescue mission similar to the 1976 Entebbe operation due to the scattered and underground locations of the hostages.
Eizenkot’s comments have also highlighted the internal rifts within Israel’s political and military leadership regarding the direction of the offensive in Gaza. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant advocate for continued military action to crush Hamas and secure the release of captives, Eizenkot and others have expressed reservations about the effectiveness of this approach.
Furthermore, Eizenkot revealed that he opposed a preemptive strike on Hezbollah in Lebanon during the early days of the war, believing that such an action would have been a strategic mistake. He also acknowledged that Israel has not yet achieved a decisive blow against Hamas, as the group continues to fight back and launch rockets into Israel.
Overall, Eizenkot’s comments shed light on the internal disagreements and challenges faced by Israel in its military operations in Gaza and neighboring regions.