Israeli Army Chief: Gaza War May Last Months; We Will Reach Hamas Leaders

Herzi Halevi, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, stated on Tuesday, January 5, that the war in Gaza could last 'months' until senior Hamas leaders are captured or killed, but emphasized: 'We will reach Hamas leaders, whether it takes a week or several months.' According to the Jerusalem Post, he implicitly acknowledged that extensive diplomatic and political contexts do not allow for a comprehensive war for such a long period and mentioned that the Israeli army would adjust the intensity of the war as necessary. Halevi also stated that even after reducing the intensity of the conflict, Israel would need new security mechanisms and tactics to ensure the long-term safety of residents in southern Israel. He announced that the war in Gaza has significant objectives that are not easy to achieve, adding: 'Therefore, this war will continue for months, and we will fight in various ways to ensure our achievements remain sustainable over time.' Simultaneously, the Chief of Staff emphasized: 'We will reach Hamas leaders, whether it takes a week or several months.' Additionally, he noted that while the Israeli army has operational control over northern Gaza, Hamas forces, which hide among civilians, occasionally emerge from ambushes. He stated that the Israeli army must increase its dominance in southern Gaza and ensure that Hamas is targeted in central Gaza. Halevi mentioned that another area where the Israeli army has intensified its actions against Hamas is central Gaza. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had outlined three prerequisites for peace in the region: 'the destruction of Hamas,' 'the demilitarization of Gaza,' and the initiation of a process to eradicate 'fundamentalism in Palestinian society.' In a note published in the Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu wrote: 'Once these three conditions are met, Gaza can be rebuilt, and the prospect of broad peace in the Middle East will become a reality.'