Former Defense Minister and current War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz announced Tuesday evening in a broadcast address that he intends to move to Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, about three kilometers (1.9 miles) from Israel’s border with Gaza — but used the opportunity to do a little political grandstanding as well.
Gantz and fellow former IDF Chief of Staff, War Cabinet Minister Without Portfolio Gadi Eisenkot have increasingly expressed disagreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the issues of humanitarian aid and ceasefire talks with Hamas aimed at freeing the rest of the hostages still being held in Gaza by the terror group.
“I call on all my friends from all sides of the political map to think before they speak — think about the fighters, about the hostages. Think about where we have reached and why the people of Israel deserve that we … reach a framework for the return of the hostages, a result of ongoing military pressure, of our strength as a society,” Gantz said.
“Returning the hostages is an integral part of victory and does not replace our duty to remove the threat of Hamas. When we reach a framework it will be a stage on the way to victory.
Addressing his remarks to residents of western Negev communities and their leaders, Gantz said, “The IDF is spread out to defend you along the border and beyond, to allow every resident and community to decide when to return to their homes under the guidelines of the security officials who I stand behind.
“Personally I have decided to relocate to Yad Mordechai. This will happen in the coming weeks. I’m sure we will have many and good neighbors, and from this difficult tragedy we will grow and strengthen together.”
‘Lost Precious Time Dragging Our Feet’
“We need to say that there are no instant victories; we will win. It will be complicated, it will take a long time, and with our regret it comes with blood and tears — but we will win because we have no other country. We will win because we have no other choice,” Gantz said.
Taking a swipe at the prime minister — and perhaps at Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as well — Gantz claimed Israel “lost precious time” in breaking down the governing abilities of Hamas “due to dragging our feet.”
Israel, he said, must “urgently promote a framework through which food and humanitarian aid will be provided to Gaza via bodies that are not related to Hamas or UNWRA even if we allow [an entry] route from the northern part of the Strip and not from the south.”
Echoing Netanyahu
In that, however, Gantz has no disagreement with Netanyahu, who earlier in the day ordered the IDF to find a way to replace the UNRWA food and aid distribution system in Gaza by the end of this week.
“All options can be on the table except for one: our goal is 100 percent security control and zero civilian control. For this to happen, the world must help us,” Gantz said. “This way, the aid will reach more residents and will not pass through the terrorists.
“We need to make every effort to stop the ability of Hamas to control the delivery of the humanitarian aid and find ways in which we can do this from a different direction,” he said.
Taking another swing at Netanyahu, he added, “We could have started this a little earlier but better late than never. We must find a solution.”
‘IDF Spread Out to Defend You Along the Border’
Finally, addressing himself to residents of western Negev communities and their leaders, Gantz encouraged the residents to return home, saying Israeli military forces will maintain security along the border.
That is an extremely sensitive point, since on October 7th that is precisely what did not happen. Gaza Envelope residents were blissfully ignorant of the danger about to descend upon them on that fateful Shabbat Simchat Torah morning, believing the IDF had their backs.
“The IDF is spread out to defend you along the border and beyond, to allow every resident and community to decide when to return to their homes under the guidelines of the security officials who I stand behind,” Gantz declared.
“Personally I have decided to relocate to Yad Mordechai. This will happen in the coming weeks,” he said. “I’m sure we will have many and good neighbors, and from this difficult tragedy we will grow and strengthen together.”
