In an unexpected turn of events, Dan Halutz, former Israeli military chief has hinted that Israel had lost the war against the Palestinian resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Halutz in a recent interview said that that Israel lost the war against Hamas, stressing that the only victory to be achieved is the overthrow of the prime minister. “For me, the picture of victory will be when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu steps down.”
“There will be no image of victory because the image reflects the loss of 1,300 lives and 240 prisoners, despite their return, and approximately 200,000 refugees who failed to return to their homes,” Halutz stated.
His comments, aired on Channel 7, are a clear critique of the current Israeli military and political strategy.
Halutz also last week expressed concern over the future of Israel. He expressed reservation of the time passing and the waning possibilities of the captives’ return.
He went further to suggest that Israel’s identity could face a transformative shift if confronted with a large number of unresolved captive cases.
Israel suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Palestinian nation and resistance as they managed to incapacitate the regime in its bloody war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements say Israel has failed to achieve “any of its goals” after the brutal aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, mainly eliminating the resistance forces in Gaza.
Palestinian groups keep up resistance
In the most recent developments, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Al-Quds Brigades, says it has fired barrages of rockets at Sderot and Nir Am in the Israeli-occupied territories.
Israeli media have reported sirens sounding in the southern city of Asqalan and other towns in the occupied territories.
The fresh retaliatory missile strikes come as resistance fighters are battling invading forces inside Gaza.
The Israeli military has reported the killing of two more soldiers in southern Gaza.
The regime says over 160 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground invasion so far.
But Hamas says the number of fatalities is much higher. On Monday, Hamas Leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar said some 5,000 Israeli forces have been killed or injured, and more than 750 military vehicles have been damaged or destroyed so far.
Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
Israel’s genocidal war is now in its 81 days.
Several areas in Gaza have been the scene of new Israeli strikes as well.
They include several refugee camps in central Gaza. The total death toll since October 7 is nearing 21000. Tens of thousands of others have been injured. Most of the casualties are women and children.
Palestinians denounce Netanyahu’s plan for forced displacement
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has lashed out at the Israeli premier after he expressed support for the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other countries.
The ministry said Netanyahu’s plan, which he calls the voluntary migration of Palestinians from Gaza, reveals the true goals of the regime’s genocidal war.
It added that the crime of ethnic cleansing and displacement must stop before it’s too late.
Hamas also rejected the Israeli prime minister’s plan for displacing Gazans as ridiculous. The resistance movement said Netanyah’s move was an excuse to prolong the regime’s onslaught on Gaza.
Hamas added that it will not allow Israel to obliterate the Palestinian cause or remove Palestinians from their land.
