Ex-IDF Major General: ‘To Fully Dismantle Hamas, Conquering Last Safe Havens is Non-Negotiable’

The two areas that the IDF hasn’t fully entered and removed Hamas infrastructure from are the refugee camps along the southern corridor, and Gaza City, Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror explained in a conversation with The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

“One of the things that history teaches us about fighting against terrorist groups is that their ‘safe haven’ must be destroyed, the site where they can regroup and plan their next moves,” he explained. Amidror is a senior fellow at the The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and the Washington-based Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).

…

Amidror explained that these two areas are ones that Hamas exerts control over like it did before the war. The emphasis here is control over both above-ground infrastructure and below-ground, i.e. the vast tunnel network. “This means that they are actually still in charge in these areas – military and civilly,” said Amidror. Hamas “had immunity because Israel was careful not to hurt the hostages,” said Amidror, adding that the working assumption is that all the homes there are all booby-trapped – like they were in Rafah and Khan Yunis.

“This war is extremely difficult, and joins historic wars in that terrorists are fighting amongst their countrymen, which makes it so much harder for the IDF to separate civilians from military targets,” explained Amidror. “Those who encourage Israel not to harm civilians are essentially asking Jerusalem not to fight at all,” he said.

…

Read the full piece in the Jerusalem Post.