Israeli war hero Brig. Gen. (res.) Avigdor Kahalani spoke to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News about Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, for which tens of thousands of reservists were called up today (Tuesday), with the goal being an incursion into and capture of Gaza City.
According to Kahalani, he sees no chance of an arrangement that would lead Hamas to release the hostages or sign an agreement that Israel could live with.
"I don’t see such a chance, and I also don’t see how any agreement between us and them would allow us to live in the future without endangering the very existence of the State of Israel."
"What they are demanding from Israel amounts to national suicide and would only guarantee another war in three or four years on a much larger scale. Therefore, in my view and worldview, we need to go to war and finish the mission. It’s likely we’ll either reach the outskirts of Gaza or strike them until they beg our forgiveness and agree to terms."
He assessed that Hamas currently feels strong, entrenched as it is some 80 meters underground, and that this explains its refusal. "Israel cannot stop this war. Otherwise, it will become a paper tiger. That’s why we must continue. That is my opinion."
As for the possible danger to the hostages’ lives, he said: "They will not return the hostages. This is their bargaining chip. We will have to search for them and find them. Most likely, only military pressure will bring them back."
"Anyone who knows the Arab mentality knows they will not release what grants them the right to exist," he argued, stressing that Israel must act despite the risks, while seeking the best possible way.
"We have ten million citizens in Israel, and we must ensure their long-term safety," Kahalani concluded, stating that the only alternative to war would be the surrender of those ten million Israelis to Hamas—a scenario he called inconceivable.