Gallant was speaking to hostages' families yesterday, two days after being sacked by Netanyahu, and reports of his remarks quickly surfaced in Israeli media.
"There's nothing left in Gaza to do. The major achievements have been achieved," Channel 12 news quoted him as saying. "I fear we are staying there just because there is a desire to be there."
He reportedly told the families that the idea that Israel must remain in Gaza to create stability was "an inappropriate idea to risk soldiers' lives over".
Gallant is said to have told the families that Netanyahu was the only person who could decide on whether to make a deal involving the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas in return for the freeing of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons and an initially temporary ceasefire.
This story is from the November 08, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 08, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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