Former and current Israeli military officials have clearly admitted that Hamas is winning the Israeli attrition war on Gaza, which enters its first-year anniversary next month.
Gadi Shamni, a former commander of the Israeli military’s Gaza division, said in an interview with the New York Times published on Tuesday that despite Israel having the upper hand on a tactical level, it still can’t defeat the Palestinian resistance on the ground, losing the war “and in a big way”.
He revealed that Hamas military capabilities have undeniably been reduced, but Al-Qassam Bridges still maintain control over Gaza and rebuilding itself through a new recruitment of generation.
Hamas members have been retaking towns across Gaza “15 minutes” after Israeli troops withdrew from them, he added.
A senior defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, separately told ABC News on Tuesday: “We are losing the war, we are losing deterrence, we are losing the hostages.”
The official also cautioned that it’s easy to launch an offensive on Lebanon, “but very hard to end it”.
Other unnamed military officials told the American broadcaster that Israel was “stuck” in Gaza and unable to achieve its war objectives.
Israeli officials have accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of torpedoing the indirect negotiations with Hamas, according to ABC.
Netanyahu’s stubbornness in maintaining control over parts of the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor, has been the main stumbling block in the talks.
“If Philadelphi was so important, why did we wait eight months [into the war] to take it?” an unnamed senior Israeli official said.
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