'Very existence of the Israeli people' at stake in this war - security expert

Security expert Yair Ansbacher, a research fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy, says the battle against Hamas in Gaza is unique in that it is an existential war. 

“What this war is really about is the very existence of the Israeli people, both in the State of Israel and abroad,” Ansbacher told the Israeli newspaper, Maariv.

“The war Israel is currently waging involves several dimensions. First and foremost, the human, emotional dimension, which collides with Hamas’s approach. Hamas knows how sensitive we are to other human life.”

Ansbacher, who is also the founder and first director of the “Eitan” pre-military preparatory school, believes Hamas leadership seeks to win the war causing the world to condemn - and ultimately sanction - Israel.

“The way in which Hamas is fighting, and its use of the underground tunnels, these tactics are all meant to achieve one goal – to force Israel to maneuver,” explained the strategist, who is also an IDF reservist.

“Given that time is not in the country's favor, the more time it takes Israel to maneuver, the more the country’s legitimacy to defend itself begins to be challenged worldwide. International condemnation will intensify, so Hamas hopes, to the point where Israel is sanctioned – this is what Hamas is counting on, this is what it hopes will bring about our eventual failure. Because with sanctions, we will be unable to achieve the main war objective, which is the destruction of Hamas,” Ansbacher said.

In late January, Ansbacher claimed that many within Israel’s security services do not understand that the current war is different than all the previous ones.

“Dealing with the issue of Gaza and with that of the hostages is critical. This is a strategic, existential battle, not just an incident; though unfortunately, significant parts of the security establishment still refer to it as such, which is a strategic mistake like no other.”

Ansbacher criticized the current hostage negotiations being brokered by Qatar.

“To conduct negotiations during the war through Qatari mediation is like making a deal with Adolf Hitler through Adolf Eichmann's mediation. Qatar is the one who built, mediated, funded, and gave ideological support to Hamas – who are among the worst of our enemies. Therefore, any deal is bad from the outset. We also give Hamas a lot of credit and respect as a partner to make deals with.”

Ansbacher revealed that at least one Hamas terrorist he interviewed was convinced Israel would give in to Hamas demands after the Oct. 7 attack.

“I interviewed a Hamas Nukhba terrorist on October 8, and I asked him: ‘What now?’ He casually replied: ‘We will get a deal.’ I replied, ‘Do you really think so? Look around you, look at the level of the damage done, Israel will never agree to such a thing.’ But he persisted: ‘Of course Israel will.’”

Ansbacher warned that military pressure is the only way Israel will succeed in freeing the remaining 136 hostages being held captive in Gaza, and that Qatar should be treated as an enemy state.

“Only through determined operational activity, including special operations that Israel is too fearful of carrying out at the moment due to political concerns, in fear that it would be accused of failure," the security expert said.

“Apply as much maneuvering in warfare as possible, exert pressure on Qatar and bring it back to the center of attention as well. It is fine to consider targeting Qatar – after all, this is an enemy state. It is terrible that we find ourselves in a status where Qatar has earned some kind of immunity," he said.

“The issue of putting pressure on Palestinian prisoners is also a sensitive one. We do nothing in this regard, but they could, and should be used as leverage.”