Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz said Saturday evening that the IDF must not withdraw from its positions or halt operations in Gaza until Hamas is disarmed, and that if no progress is made on disarmament, military and political pressure should be increased. Gantz's statement was in response to a report by Nitzan Shapira (N12) about internal security establishment discussions on potential IDF withdrawals and a multinational force.
Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz issued a firm statement Saturday evening, rejecting any Israeli military withdrawal or operational pause in Gaza until Hamas is fully disarmed. The former defense minister and IDF chief of staff said that if no progress is made on disarmament, 'military and political pressure should be increased.'
Gantz's statement came in direct response to a report by Nitzan Shapira (N12) published earlier Saturday, which revealed that the security establishment is holding discussions on targeted IDF withdrawals from parts of the Gaza Strip and the potential replacement of Israeli forces with a multinational force. Security officials quoted in the report warned that the planned multinational force is too small for the task.
The stance aligns with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated declarations that Israel will not withdraw from its current positions in Gaza until Hamas is disarmed, a position The Zioneer has covered. The statement also echoes the security-first line that has characterized the government's approach to the Gaza campaign, and comes as diplomatic efforts continue to shape a postwar framework.
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