Haaretz claims eliminating Hamas is an unrealistic military objective

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published an analysis arguing that the political and military objective of “eliminating Hamas” is operationally hollow. The report calls on Tel Aviv’s leadership to acknowledge current realities and initiate direct negotiations with the movement.

Haaretz criticized the prevailing political consensus within the Knesset and the government, noting that most party leaders—with the possible exception of Democrats leader Yair Golan—are advocating for a return to full-scale war in the Gaza Strip. The analysis describes these political trends as “the most insane idea” in the history of the state, suggesting that proponents of destroying Hamas are effectively calling for the total destruction of what remains of Gaza.

The publication asserts that after three years of intense conflict, Hamas has remained resilient and has maintained its core organizational structure. The analysis concludes that unless the entirety of Gaza is wiped from existence, the goal of eliminating the movement will not be achieved, warning that calls for renewed warfare are essentially calls for total genocide.