Netanyahu, Gantz clash on October 7 inquiry
Former Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz has criticised PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to form a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 Hamas attacks.
“I am waiting for the state commission of inquiry to be established and for the protocols to be revealed in order to draw lessons from the greatest disaster in our history and for a better future for the State of Israel,” he said on X.
Netanyahu also lashed out at Gantz on X, accusing him of spreading “fake news”.
“The public will find out who was looking for excuses to ‘stop the fighting for a year or two’ and who really pushed forward to continue the war until victory,” the prime minister said.
Gallant says Lebanon offensive can be launched ‘in an instant’
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued a new warning to Hezbollah, saying the Israeli military can “in an instant” begin an offensive in Lebanon. He said Israel was on the verge of a decision on a military operation that will be “fast, surprising and sharp”, according to Israeli media.
Speaking at the Oded Brigade in northern Israel, the minister said an agreement could still be reached if Hezbollah withdraws from the border area beyond the Litani River.
While Hezbollah has said multiple times that it will only halt its attacks if a ceasefire agreement is reached in Gaza, Gallant said an agreement with Hezbollah could be reached “while fighting Hamas”.
Gallant has issued numerous threats against Hezbollah, but Israel has so far avoided an all-out war in Lebanon.
Israeli military claims it killed half Hamas’ military leadership
The Israeli military has claimed that over the past 264 days of war in Gaza it succeeded in “eliminating half of the leadership of Hamas’ military wing”.
It said on X that this included “6 brigade commanders, over 20 battalion commanders and approximately 150 company commanders”.
The military also said it hit “over 60,000 terrorist targets in Gaza”.
Israel presented no proof for its assertions, and despite claims to have eliminated much of Hamas’s military capabilities, continues to be fight battles across the enclave.
🚨For the past 264 days, IDF ground, air and naval forces have been operating in Gaza in order to achieve the goal of eliminating the threat of Hamas.
Here is a summary of our operational activity so far:
🔺Eliminating half of the leadership of Hamas' military wing; including 6… pic.twitter.com/glr4cmous8
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 17, 2024
Unfortunately, even if true, they've battle trained many more resistance fighters and left them no shortage of ammunition (unexploded and left behind ordnance) nor new recruits.
But hopefully they can sell this to the Israeli public to end the war.
