Netanyahu: The war on Hamas in Gaza may continue until 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip may continue until 2025.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements came during a meeting of members of the war cabinet with the heads of local councils, which was held at the headquarters of the Israeli army’s southern command in Beersheba.

The Prime Minister reportedly told local council heads from communities near Gaza today that he expects the war against Hamas to extend into 2025.

According to Channel 12, Netanyahu revealed the assessment in the context of a discussion in which he reportedly also agreed to review the current Defense Ministry framework that provides financial assistance to Israelis willing to return to evacuated areas 4/7 kilometers from the Gaza border.

Sccording to the heads of local councils told Netanyahu that most of the residents of the Gaza envelope don’t want to return at this stage due to the continued launching of rockets from Gaza and other security concerns.

The council heads demanded that the return process be postponed or extended until the summer and the beginning of the new academic year, and that Israel continue to fund their stay in temporary housing until then.

Netanyahu accepted their request and promised that the financial assistance would be applicable at that time as well, indicating that he had issued instructions to the relevant officials to establish the necessary framework.

Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu, in public statements at the beginning of the meeting, said, “We’re determined to rehabilitate the kibbutzim and communities in what is known as the Gaza envelope area, return residents to their homes, and ensure the region’s prosperity and growth much more than it was before the war”.

For his part, Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz submitted an urgent message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, asking him to stop procrastinating in a series of decisions related to war planning.

Gantz explained in an urgent letter to Netanyahu to allow the government to move forward with decisions related to the following:

Who will control the Philadelphia axis along the border between Egypt and Gaza, as well as the Rafah crossing?

When will the residents of the north be allowed to return to their homes (Netanyahu has twice postponed meetings with local mayors on this issue)?

Setting a deadline that specifies how long Israel is willing to pursue diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions with Hezbollah before they turn to more significant military action.

Forming a mechanism to provide humanitarian aid to the residents of Gaza.

The plan of who will rule Gaza if Hamas is removed from power.

Gantz also urges Netanyahu to reevaluate the war goals and present an updated version that takes into account the developments of the past three months.

The Israeli army said on Tuesday that its special units raided the offices of senior Hamas leaders in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir also said that the firing of rockets at the Netivot settlement in the western Negev from the area from which the Israeli army withdrew in Gaza proves that the occupation of Gaza is necessary.

As the war on Gaza enters its 102nd day, clashes, battles and rocket firing continue, in light of a catastrophic humanitarian situation and fears that the spark of war will spread in the region.