Netanyahu criticizes Israeli army spokesperson over comments on Hamas鈥� future

Hagari described Hamas as an 鈥渋dea鈥� rooted in the hearts of Gazans, stating that 鈥渁nyone who thinks it can be eliminated is wrong.鈥� (AFP/File)
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  • During a press briefing, Daniel Hagari said Hamas will continue to exist for the next 5 years
  • Claims renew debate about the feasibility of Israel鈥檚 goal to 鈥榙estroy Hamas鈥�

LONDON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized the army鈥檚 spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, for saying that Hamas will continue to exist in the Gaza Strip for the next five years.

According to local media reports, Netanyahu was angered by Hagari鈥檚 public remarks, which seemed inconsistent with the stance of the prime minister鈥檚 office.

鈥淚srael is planning a long war against Hamas,鈥� Hagari said in an interview with the American ABC network on Monday, adding that he believes that 鈥淗amas will remain with the ambition to be a terror organization鈥� for years to come.

鈥淲ill you and me be talking five years from now about Hamas as a terror organization in Gaza?鈥� Hagari asked the host, then continued: 鈥淭he answer is yes.鈥�

Reports from Israel鈥檚 Channel 14 indicated that Netanyahu criticized Hagari in private, saying: 鈥淭here are also members of Hamas in the West Bank, but there is no Hamas rule. There are neo-Nazis in Germany, but there is no Nazi rule.鈥�

Netanyahu claimed that 鈥淚srael will eliminate Hamas鈥檚 rule and will not allow it to control the Gaza Strip again and threaten Israel from there.鈥�

This is not the first instance of Hagari diverging from the prime minister鈥檚 office.

Late last month, he told Channel 13 that to truly achieve Israel鈥檚 goal of eliminating Hamas in Gaza, an alternative must be introduced.

Hagari described Hamas as an 鈥渋dea鈥� rooted in the hearts of Gazans, stating that 鈥渁nyone who thinks it can be eliminated is wrong.鈥�

Netanyahu and the Israeli army issued a clarification following Hagari鈥檚 comments, stating that the army is 鈥渃ommitted to achieving the goals of the war as defined by the Cabinet鈥� and has been working on this 鈥渢hroughout the war, day and night, and will continue to do so.鈥�

Hagari鈥檚 remarks have intensified public debate in Israel regarding the feasibility of Israel鈥檚 goal to 鈥渄estroy Hamas,鈥� with many military analysts and observers expressing skepticism about achieving this objective.