Former Israeli Defense Minister Gallant: “There is no reason for the Israeli army to remain in the Gaza Strip”

Israel’s former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that there is no reason for the Israeli army to remain in the Gaza Strip and that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is keeping soldiers in Gaza with his “desire to stay there.”

Statements made by former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who was dismissed by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, were published by the Israeli press before his dismissal. Reports in the Israeli media indicated that Gallant told the families of Israeli captives just hours before his dismissal that there was no reason for the Israeli army to remain in the Gaza Strip and that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was keeping soldiers there with his “desire to stay there.”

The reports stated that Gallant told the families of captives that the only person who could decide whether to accept the hostage agreement was Netanyahu, and that he had “tried to influence him on this matter but failed.”

In the reports, it was noted that Gallant said, “I think the Shin Bet Chief, the Chief of Staff, and I believe the Mossad Chief also agreed with me,” and that Gallant had told Netanyahu last July that the “conditions had matured” for an agreement, and that he had been in disagreement with Netanyahu ever since.

The reports mentioned that Gallant described the idea that Israel should remain in Gaza to ensure stability as “an inappropriate idea that puts soldiers’ lives at risk,” expressing his belief that “it would be bad for Israel to govern Gaza.”