Israel: Reconstruction of the South After Hamas Attack Will Take Years

A member of Israel's war cabinet states that Israel's efforts to rebuild areas devastated by Hamas will take years, and the planned ground assault in the Gaza Strip will only be part of these efforts. Benny Gantz, a general and former chief of staff of the Israeli army, who is now a member of the emergency war cabinet and a political opponent of Netanyahu, has sent a message to Hamas and other enemies of Israel that they are also at risk of destruction. The United States, the European Union, and Japan have designated the Hamas militia, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, as a terrorist organization. In a speech on Thursday, Gantz stated that Israel's efforts to rebuild areas destroyed in the Hamas attack on November 15 will take years: "To ensure the security of the areas that will be rebuilt, the battle against terror in the Gaza Strip, deep within Gaza, will continue wherever and whenever necessary." According to Reuters, Gantz noted that the ground maneuver will only be one phase of a long process that will include defensive, diplomatic, and social aspects and will take years. Gantz, a long-time political rival of Netanyahu, stated that the war cabinet formed in the past two weeks is functioning well and making decisions based on calculations related to the national crisis: "Our fate will not be one of destruction; destruction is the fate of those who do us harm." Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, its sworn enemy, which is supported by the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The ongoing war between Hamas and Israel is expected to turn into a protracted conflict. Israel continues its war for the 'destruction' of Hamas. The Israeli army has conducted air and drone strikes in southern Lebanon. Hamas has fired rockets at ten cities in central and southern Israel. Israel insists that hostages must be released unconditionally. Amir-Abdollahian warns that there is a possibility of losing control by all parties. Netanyahu states that they are ready for an attack; the Wall Street Journal reports that Israel has agreed to delay the ground assault on Gaza. Documents have been released showing Hamas's misuse of civilian centers to attack Israel. A report on two weeks of war indicates that 450 rockets from Palestinian militants have fallen inside Gaza.