'Nothing left in Gaza to do' - Outgoing DM Gallant tells hostage families Netanyahu needlessly keeps Israeli forces in Gaza

Israel’s outgoing defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who was recently fired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly told the families of hostages that Netanyahu needlessly insists on keeping Israeli forces in Gaza.

Gallant reportedly told the families that he had “tried and failed” to convince Netanyahu to prioritize a hostage deal by ending the military operations in Gaza, which he considers are no longer necessary. 

“I can tell you what there was not: security considerations. The IDF chief and I said there was no security reason for remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor,” Gallant stated. “Netanyahu said that [retaining] it was a diplomatic consideration; I’m telling you there was no diplomatic consideration.”

“There’s nothing left in Gaza to do. The major achievements have been achieved,” Gallant argued. “I fear we are staying there just because there is a desire to stay there,” he continued, likely referring to the call by some government coalition members to rebuild Israeli communities in Gaza. 

Furthermore, Gallant claimed that his position on Gaza was shared by other top Israeli security officials. 

“The head of the Shin Bet, the chief of staff, and I think the head of the Mossad, also agreed with me,” he said. 

On Tuesday evening, Netanyahu fired Gallant, citing a lack of trust amid the ongoing Gaza War against Hamas forces.

“Significant gaps were discovered between me and Gallant in the management of the campaign, and these gaps were accompanied by statements and actions that contradict the decisions of the government and the decisions of the cabinet,” Netanyahu stated. 

Gallant, a retired IDF general and former naval commando, argued that a political position of a continued presence in Gaza is “an inappropriate idea to risk soldiers’ lives over.”

Netanyahu has largely avoided the topic of the “day after” in Gaza. In December, Netanyahu vowed that neither Hamas nor Fatah would rule Gaza after the war.

In recent months, the prime minister has denied that Israel seeks to remain in Gaza and has called for the establishment of a new administration in Gaza that embraces peace with Israel and opposes terrorism. 

Gallant, who is hawkish on security issues, emphasized that “it would be bad for Israel to rule Gaza,” repeating the call for a new administration in Gaza “that is neither Hamas nor Israel because otherwise, we will pay a heavy price.”

Following his firing, Gallant revealed that he thanked U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “for his partnership and deep commitment to the defense cooperation between our countries, and to the security of the State of Israel.”

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve my country and to work together in further deepening the bond between our nations. Our ties are critical to the security and prosperity of the State of Israel and the Jewish people,” Gallant wrote on 𝕏. 

Gallant maintained close ties with the Biden administration, which is reportedly concerned by the impact of his dismissal and the appointment of Israel Katz as the new defense minister. 

“We still have a lot of things to do in the next two months. We don’t have a relationship with Katz, and we are concerned it is going to be much more difficult now,” an unnamed Biden administration official told the Axios news outlet.