Former general: War ends very badly for Israel

Former Israeli general Giora Eiland who had suggested a "surrender-or-starve" strategy for northern Gaza now says “the war has ended very badly” for Israel.

Eiland spoke to Israeli Army Radio as tens of thousands of Palestinians returned to the heavily damaged northern region following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

He stated that by opening the Netzarim corridor, an Israeli military zone dividing the territory, Israel lost its leverage over Hamas and would not be able to regain it, even if the war resumes.

“We are at the mercy of Hamas,” he said.

Eiland was the primary author of the so-called Generals' Plan, which proposed giving civilians in the northern third of Gaza one week to evacuate. The entire area would then be designated a closed military zone, cut off from humanitarian aid, with anyone remaining considered a combatant.

Last fall, the plan was presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, though it has not been confirmed whether any parts were adopted. The Israeli military has denied implementing the plan. Around the time it became public, in October, Israel initiated a large-scale operation in northern Gaza, sealing off the area and allowing very little aid to enter. Tens of thousands were displaced, and the operation resulted in significant destruction. 

Eiland stated that Israel failed to meet its objectives, such as eliminating Hamas, removing it from power, ensuring the safety of Israeli border communities, and securing the return of the hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war.

He added that Hamas, on the other hand, “has largely achieved everything it wanted.”

War between Israel and Palestinian militants, especially Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a land, sea, and air assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip. 

The October 7 attack resulted in more than 1,200 deaths, primarily Israeli citizens, making it the deadliest day for Israel since its independence.  More than 240 people were taken hostage during the attack.

The next day, Israel declared itself in a state of war for the first time since the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The war began with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducting air strikes on the Gaza Strip, followed weeks later by the incursion of ground troops and armored vehicles.

By Naila Huseynova