"We are at war, the extent of the damage to us - like the attack on the World Trade Center 9/11, but relatively speaking, the damage is much more significant. There is also the element of horror, missiles we have already seen, but when you kidnap a family, kidnap children and put them in cages, that's something to which the only parallel is ISIS. Hamas is ISIS, that's the truth. The savagery, the barbarism - this emphasizes who we are facing. We are at the forefront of humanity's struggle against barbarism," the official said.
According to the diplomatic source, there are a number of actions that Israel should take. The first is to clear the area of the enemy, close the loopholes, but according to him, "it is likely to take more time." The second action is an attack. "The places where Hamas operates and hides will become rubble. This is what is happening in practice and this is only the beginning. We killed many hundreds of terrorists." The third action is to fortify the borders and the other sectors – Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and we hope that there will not be an internal arena as well.
"A harder touch than the attack on the World Trade Center", Photo: Reuters
The fourth thing is to create the support and room for maneuver on the international level. To that end, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke twice with Biden, Macron, Germany, Britain, Canada and other countries in order to cement their support for Israel. "It is important that the support is sustained, and that we establish that we are not only victims, but also winners. The goal is to mobilize in a practical way, and not just politically and politically, the U.S. support for our moves," the official said, adding that "Biden has sent a clear public message to Iran, including moving vessels."
"Iran is pushing Hezbollah"
The fifth action is internal and external advocacy, and the other thing is the establishment of an emergency government. According to the political source, such a government should be "unconditional and certainly not partisan, because a privatized government is a government of paralysis. You get under the stretcher without taking others out."
Paratroopers Brigade fighters near the Gaza Strip, photo: IDF Spokesperson
Asked what the purpose of the operation was, the senior political source said, "To negate Hamas' capabilities and desire to harm us, Gaza will not look the same." However, the senior political source refused to use the phrase "toppling the Hamas regime."
The diplomatic source noted that the war would continue for days, perhaps even weeks. "We are at war. They asked for war, and they will get a big war." It should be noted that during the war, and in light of the great atrocities committed by the terrorists, the IDF stopped using "knocking on the roof" as a method of operation, and is satisfied with mass evacuations by means of leaflets.
Gallant with Col. Wach. "In Gaza, they will regret this day", Photo: Ariel Hermony, Ministry of Defense
So far, it has been reported that Iran was not involved in directing Hamas in the war it started, but now the political source noted that "at first there were no indications, now there are more instincts." Asked whether Hezbollah would join the campaign, the official said, "Iran is pushing Hezbollah to be prepared for the campaign."
Hassan Nasrallah. Will he enter the fray?, Photo: AFP
"We are in the containment phase, and beyond a crushing attack, it will be even more crushing. It won't be easy. But we are cutting off Gaza's umbilical cord from Israel."
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