Middle East analyst Yoni Ben Menachem assessed that the Arab world is closely watching Israel's response to Defense Minister Katz's kidnapping scenario, and warned that Hamas still maintains thousands of armed terrorists and precise intelligence in Gaza. According to Ben Menachem, Israel must act now rather than wait for soldiers or civilians to be kidnapped.
A day after Defense Minister Israel Katz reiterated his hostage-evacuation threat, Middle East analyst Yoni Ben Menachem warned that Israel must strike Hamas preemptively before the next kidnapping occurs. In comments relayed via The Zioneer, Ben Menachem assessed that the Arab world is closely watching Israel's response to Katz's scenario, and argued that Hamas still commands thousands of armed terrorists and maintains precise intelligence in Gaza. He urged the government to act now rather than wait for soldiers or civilians to be captured.
Katz's warning — that the kidnapping of any Israeli soldier or civilian would trigger a full southward evacuation of the Gaza Strip — was first reported by Channel 14 and i24NEWS on Tuesday, Sep 22 at 11:25 Jerusalem. The defense minister cited the evacuations of Rafah and Beit Hanoun as precedents. His statement drew immediate criticism from multiple commentators: Yinon Magal called the message "unclear" and questioned why Israel still needs to threaten Hamas; Hillel Bitton Rosen argued the minister was setting a dangerous equation and called for a preemptive conquest of the Strip; and Noam Amir called the conditional threat "a bit strange," saying the military should finish its operation in Gaza regardless.
Ben Menachem's warning sharpens the debate over preventive versus reactive posture, echoing a broader assessment by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — cited by The Zioneer on Tuesday — who said Hamas now has more armed terrorists than on October 7 and that Qatar has retaken control over Gaza. The analyst's call for immediate action comes as Israeli intelligence, he says, is sufficiently precise to eliminate the threat preemptively.
It remains an open question whether the government will shift to a preemptive policy or continue to condition its full evacuation response on an actual kidnapping event.
6 developments
- DevelopingMiddle East analyst Yoni Ben Menachem warns Arab world views US strengthening of Iran and Qatar with alarm
- ConfirmedIDF raised alert Tuesday after intelligence on possible Hamas retaliation for Shin Bet chief kidnapping
- DevelopingBennett: Hamas now has more armed terrorists than on Oct 7, Qatar retook control of Gaza
- DevelopingAnalyst warns of signs of third intifada around Temple Mount
Source and signal
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