Senior Official in Grave Warning: "Terrorists 100 Meters from the Settlements"

Against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a hostage deal and ceasefire, and while the Israeli public supports the return of the hostages, voices are being heard expressing concern about the costs involved in such a ceasefire. Colonel (Res.) Hazi Nehama spoke with Yariv Oppenheimer and Yehuda Schlesinger on 103FM, and warned against a renewed strengthening of Hamas if a deal is reached that does not disarm it and end its rule.

"A Deal That Leaves Hamas Armed – A Lamentation for Generations"

Nehama clarified his firm position: "If we are on the way to a deal that allows continued fighting afterward, defeating Hamas and disarming it, we will accept the deal with joy. If this is a deal at the end of which we discover that Hamas remains armed and controlling the Gaza Strip, we will discover that this is crying for generations."

He explained that from the outset he advocated for a war that would decisively defeat Hamas completely, while returning the hostages and eliminating the organization's leaders, but considering current constraints, he accepts a partial deal with understanding.

The Need for Demilitarization and Military Decision

Even if a deal takes place, Nehama believes the IDF needs to return to fighting with full force at its conclusion: "We need to ensure that there is no longer Hamas as a governing force, and there are no tens of thousands of armed militants beyond the fence." He emphasized the lack of logic in returning residents to the Gaza envelope settlements when Hamas battalions are active nearby.

When asked what the IDF can do that hasn't been done in 21 months of fighting, Nehama replied sharply: "The IDF has not been fighting in the Gaza Strip in recent months. There is a way that war is conducted. What needs to be done? Very simple, we move the population out of the war zones, and impose a complete siege. Within a few weeks, thousands of Hamas terrorists will raise their hands and surrender." He added that "there is a moral problem in sending soldiers to fight in places where there is a population and terrorists mixed together. The time has come to abandon this method."

Decision at the Top and in Leadership

Nehama refused to address the "day after," and emphasized Hamas's cruelty toward collaborators. He repeatedly emphasized that "when the IDF set clear goals for itself... it did it 100%." According to him, "Here too, the IDF can fully deal with the Hamas enemy. This is a question of decision at the top – does he want to decide or not want to decide?"