Gaza City occupation comes at five costs: Ex-Israeli official
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Former Israeli "National Security Council" head Giora Eiland outlines five key costs of the ongoing Gaza operation, warning that objectives remain unachieved.
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Israeli soldiers drive a tank inside the Gaza Strip as seen from occupied Palestine, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025 (AP)
Former Israeli "National Security Council" head Giora Eiland stated that "the Gaza operation comes at a very clear price," particularly five.
Speaking to Channel 12 on Thursday, Eiland pointed out that the five costs are the death of the captives and the killing and injury of many soldiers, in addition to the exhaustion of the reserve formation, rising economic costs, and a deterioration of "Israel's" standing in terms of international relations.
He expressed astonishment that no one has clarified how the Gaza operation is supposed to achieve what couldn't be accomplished in the previous 23 months. He added that after such a long, futile period, it's clear that the war's objectives remain unfulfilled, asserting that it's high time the cabinet asked itself why it is so.
Eiland outlined two possibilities: first, that the war goals are simply unattainable, or second, which is the possibility he leans toward, that they are achievable but require a completely different approach. He added that a military operation aimed at occupying Gaza City, a move he believes would come at a very high price, would ultimately not yield results that align with Netanyahu's objectives.
The former security chief concluded by stating, "We are going ahead with it, the occupation of Gaza City, according to a specific timeline and under pressure that will ultimately achieve nothing."
Eiland's remarks come as a wider bleak outlook on the Israeli war on Gaza dominates Israeli public opinion, which is growing pessimistic about the prognosis of "Israel's" actions and plans for the Strip.
Israeli leadership's objectives have lost their meaning: Haaretz
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has issued a severe warning, stating that as the war on Gaza nears its second anniversary, the Israeli occupation is consciously moving toward an increasingly deepening catastrophe.
In a September 4 editorial, Haaretz contended that the declared objectives of the Israeli leadership, "defeating Hamas", "restoring security control," and "bringing back the hostages," have lost their meaning in the face of escalating devastation and human suffering.
The paper noted that even before the official launch of Operation "Gideon’s Chariots 2," entire neighborhoods in Gaza had already been flattened, leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians without shelter, food, or medical care, with the editorial warning that "unless action is taken now, the damage will soon be irreversible."
Haaretz outlined how Israeli military units deployed unethical practices like using human shields, eroding moral standards, for which it blames the leadership. It stated that while security officials privately recognize the war's limits and advocate for a deal, the military has allowed high-cost operations to continue despite the risks.
The Israeli daily criticized the war's continuation as being driven by image concerns and Netanyahu's political survival rather than a responsible strategy, arguing that international criticism and domestic protests have failed to alter his course.
