Arab affairs analyst Zvi Yehezkeli warns that Hamas must be defeated by force, calling for a full Israeli conquest of Gaza and coordinated strategy with Trump amid rising global pressure.
Veteran Arab affairs commentator Zvi Yehezkeli made waves Wednesday with a powerful declaration: the only path to defeating Hamas is a full-scale Israeli military conquest of Gaza — not negotiations.
Speaking on Radio 103FM, Yehezkeli warned that while the Israeli Cabinet is slowly waking up, much of the military remains trapped in the “Oslo mindset” — still believing that resolving the hostage crisis will suffice.
“I’m not sure how long it will take to conquer Gaza militarily, but it won’t be easy,” he said. “Once the population is isolated and we can reach sterile areas and remove civilians from combat zones, Hamas will collapse surprisingly fast on the ground.”
Yehezkeli pointed to lessons from Operation Cast Lead, when Israeli forces advanced deep into Gaza within days. But this time, he argued, the stakes are higher — and the entire Islamic world is watching.
“This isn’t just a local conflict. It’s a regional litmus test,” he said. “Hamas believes that through its starvation campaign, international sympathy, and the IDF’s stalled objectives, it can say: ‘We’re not going for a deal — period.’”
“If Hamas refuses to negotiate, **the hostages will have to be rescued by force. There’s no alternative.”
On growing international pressure, Yehezkeli pushed back strongly:
“I’m not sure what ‘the world’ even means. We’re not pariahs. Yes, we should coordinate with the U.S., especially with Trump. But we must act according to our interests. Egypt and Qatar are the real obstacles.”
Yehezkeli warned that while Hamas is militarily weakened, it continues to dominate global perception through images of suffering and hunger — portraying itself as the victim in a war it ignited.
“Hamas is still winning the media war. Israel must neutralize their psychological tactics just as much as their fighters.”
He concluded by urging Israeli leaders to abandon illusions of coexistence with terror, and instead seize the moment to decisively dismantle Hamas — politically, militarily, and strategically.Veteran Arab affairs commentator Zvi Yehezkeli made waves Wednesday with a powerful declaration: the only path to defeating Hamas is a full-scale Israeli military conquest of Gaza — not negotiations.
Speaking on Radio 103FM, Yehezkeli warned that while the Israeli Cabinet is slowly waking up, much of the military remains trapped in the “Oslo mindset” — still believing that resolving the hostage crisis will suffice.
“I’m not sure how long it will take to conquer Gaza militarily, but it won’t be easy,” he said. “Once the population is isolated and we can reach sterile areas and remove civilians from combat zones, Hamas will collapse surprisingly fast on the ground.”
Yehezkeli pointed to lessons from Operation Cast Lead, when Israeli forces advanced deep into Gaza within days. But this time, he argued, the stakes are higher — and the entire Islamic world is watching.
“This isn’t just a local conflict. It’s a regional litmus test,” he said. “Hamas believes that through its starvation campaign, international sympathy, and the IDF’s stalled objectives, it can say: ‘We’re not going for a deal — period.’”
“If Hamas refuses to negotiate, **the hostages will have to be rescued by force. There’s no alternative.”
On growing international pressure, Yehezkeli pushed back strongly:
“I’m not sure what ‘the world’ even means. We’re not pariahs. Yes, we should coordinate with the U.S., especially with Trump. But we must act according to our interests. Egypt and Qatar are the real obstacles.”
Yehezkeli warned that while Hamas is militarily weakened, it continues to dominate global perception through images of suffering and hunger — portraying itself as the victim in a war it ignited.
“Hamas is still winning the media war. Israel must neutralize their psychological tactics just as much as their fighters.”
He concluded by urging Israeli leaders to abandon illusions of coexistence with terror, and instead seize the moment to decisively dismantle Hamas — politically, militarily, and strategically.
