Former Israeli intelligence official says Israel did not achieve its goals in Gaza

Amos Yadlin, former head of Israeli Military Intelligence, said on Friday that Israel has not achieved the goals it set for itself in the war on Gaza, Israeli TV channel 10 reported.

Yadlin, who now heads the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel, said that Hamas is not weaker as a result of the operation.

“Israel failed to achieve the goals it set for itself,” Yadlin told Channel 10, adding, “we did not hurt Hamas enough so that someone else would make the decisions instead of Mohammed Deif.”

He continued: “What matters most in the end is that the Hamas military wing will not be the strongest power in Gaza. Demilitarisation of Gaza is a very troublesome and far-ranging goal.”

“Three weeks ago I said that leaving Hamas as the ruler of Gaza would be a mistake. After Hamas is weakened the residents will gladly accept [Palestinian Authority President] Abbas.”

Yadlin concluded his speech to Israeli TV saying he thinks Israel is reading the map wrong. “There is a feeling that Hamas is on the ropes and does not want this conflict but that is not the case,” he said.