Amos Yadlin, a former head of military intelligence close to senior officers, said at least 9 months of combat were expected
Israeli defense authorities said this Sunday (7 January 2024) that fighting in the Gaza Strip is expected to last at least 1 year. The information is from guardian. The comments were made during the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who went to the Middle East to discuss measures to mitigate the conflict.
“It’s not the Six Day War (from 1967). The timeline is long”said Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, a former head of military intelligence who is close to senior officers.
He compared the Israeli campaign in Gaza to the international coalition that fought the Islamic State in 2017 and which lasted 9 months and to Israel's offensive in the West Bank in 2002. “It took 2 months to reach Palestinian cities and 2 years to end terrorism. Therefore, Israel foresees 9 months to 1 year. It depends on how long Hamas can hold out.”he stated.
On Saturday (Jan 6), the spokesman for the IDF (Israel Defense Forces), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, had already stated in a press release that the fighting “will continue through 2024”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that the war will not end until the goals of ending Hamas, freeing all hostages and ensuring the stability of Gaza have been completed. “I say this to our enemies as well as our friends. This is our responsibility and this is our commitment”, he declared to his office. He had already said something similar in December.
The risk of a prolonged conflict worries international entities, due to the possibility of it extending across the Middle East and involving other countries in the region, such as Iran, which has links with Hamas, and Lebanon, where Hezbollah has also been involved in clashes with Israel.
The statements were made on the day that the war completes 3 months, with at least 22,835 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip, including 9,600 children and 6,750 women.
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