‘You Can’t Beat Hamas’ Israeli Army Spokesman Says

CrossFireArabia
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June 19, 2024

In what is seen as a slap in the face for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli army spokesman speaks out and out of turn! “You can’t beat Hamas,” he blurts out because of so many reasons.

💥Day 257 of the Gaza war: IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari says PM Netanyahu's war goal of "total destruction of Hamas" is the equivalent of "throwing sand in the public's eyes" and Netanyahu replies that he can drop dead. pic.twitter.com/ijoFMdGovi
— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي (@NTarnopolsky) June 19, 2024

Promises to destroy Palestinian resistance group Hamas are “misleading,” Daniel Hagari said Wednesday as reported in Anadolu.

He said the goal of the “total destruction of Hamas” is like “throwing sand in the public’s eyes, a quote which is trending all over the social media.

On the 6th January Daniel Hagari, the spokesman for the IDF, declared: "We have completed the dismantling of Hamas' military framework in the northern Gaza strip"

Four months later the IDF is fighting in the northern Gaza strip. pic.twitter.com/kmVw0D7EUD
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) May 16, 2024

His comments come as a swipe against the country’s current political leadership who are determined to eradicate Hamas despite all odds and are continuing a genocidal war against the civilians of Gaza to attempt to do it.

IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari rebukes Netanyahu and admits defeating Hamas is impossible:
"Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a political party. It is rooted in the hearts of people – whoever thinks we can eliminate Hamas is mistaken." https://t.co/xcFmPQ1AvK pic.twitter.com/tixwVRuFIV
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) June 19, 2024

“Anyone promising to eradicate Hamas is misleading the public,” Hagari told the broadcaster Channel 13 as reported in the Turkish news agency.

“Whoever thinks it is possible to destroy Hamas is mistaken,” Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 13 on Wednesday.

“Saying that it is possible to destroy Hamas and to make it disappear is to throw dust into the public’s eyes,” Hagari… pic.twitter.com/rbjgXluErE
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) June 19, 2024

In a frank tone, he said “Hamas is an idea. Those who think it can be made to disappear are wrong,” he said after having been daily reporting on the Israeli war on Gaza for the last eight months.

Hagari stressed if the government “doesn’t find an alternative — it (Hamas) will remain” in Gaza.

"Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a political party. It is rooted in the hearts of people – whoever thinks we can eliminate Hamas is mistaken.” (IDF Spokesman, Brig Gen Daniel Hagari)

We told you this 8 long months ago. Yes, 8 months ago.

Truly deplorable.https://t.co/QcoAXU3o9z
— Charlie Herbert (@Charlie533080) June 19, 2024

From the start of the war on Gaza after 7 October Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel’s key objective is to destroy Hamas and has not listened to anyone else who expressed scepticism about meeting this goal and which they say is not feasible.

⚠️ Israeli Army spokesman says Hamas can’t be destroyed

The Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari criticises Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calls for finding an alternative rather than deceiving the Israeli public by claiming the army can completely destroy Hamas.… pic.twitter.com/DJagjIkeRv
— DOAM (@doamuslims) June 19, 2024

Meanwhile Israeli society is breaking to pieces. The 120 or so hostages have not been released, the Israeli army is in a bad situation because of the real number of deaths, injured and those in need of psychological help, the economy is in tatters and many Israelis are leaving the country.

Hagari discussed the army’s announcement on June 8 about the release of four captives in a military operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. “It is not possible to release all hostages through military operations,” he acknowledged as reported by Anadolu.

More that 37,000 has been killed in Gaza through the Israeli bombings with over 85,000 being injured.

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Israel Kills 200 Lebanese Children – UNICEF

CrossFireArabia
May 15, 2026

More than four children have been killed or injured every day on average in Lebanon in the first 25 days of a temporary ceasefire with families still unable to return to their homes, said Save the Children.

New data from Lebanon’s Ministry of Health on Tuesday showed that 22 children have been killed and 89 injured since the temporary ceasefire started on 17 April. This brings the number of children killed in Israeli strikes since renewed escalation in hostilities in Lebanon on 2 March to almost 200 with about 2,900 people killed.

The violence and renewed displacement orders have forced more than one million people – or one in six of the population – from their homes with many now living with relatives, in host communities or in collective shelters.

The number of families living in collective shelters has increased 5% since the conditional ceasefire due to renewed displacement orders by Israeli forces and as families return home to find destroyed houses and damaged farmland so move back the collective shelters. There are now 44,800 children among about 125,000 people in collective shelters.

Thousands of children have been living in collective shelters for over two months in overcrowded conditions with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities leading to reports of scabies and growing health concerns.

Parents are reporting widespread behavioural changes among children living in collective shelters due to a lack of routine and reduced school engagement including loss of appetite and trouble sleeping. Many children are struggling to continue learning with some schools used as collective shelters and also difficulties accessing online learning due to limited electricity, and poor connectivity.

Tala*, 10, has been living in a collective shelter after being displaced from southern Lebanon, said:

“I just want the war to end so I can go home to my village and sleep in my own bed. I really miss school, I want to see my teachers and be with my friends, and study and play again.”

Nora Ingdal, Save the Children’s Lebanon Country Director, said:

“This ‘so called’ ceasefire that still sees more than four children killed or injured every day is not a ceasefire for children. Attacks on civilians have not stopped – it has simply continued under another name. Colleagues have told me that the airstrikes feel more intense in some areas than they ever did before. Children are not safe until there is a permanent and definitive ceasefire with no violations.”

With further peace talks set to take place on Thursday to determine next steps between Lebanon and Israel, Save the Children is calling on the international community to urgently work toward a permanent and definitive ceasefire and ensure flexible and sustained funding to protect children and allow families to return home to resume their lives.

Save the Children has worked in Lebanon since 1953. In collaboration with partners and local authorities, we are distributing essential items in hard-to-reach areas in the south, provide psychosocial support for children, educate families and children about the risks of unexploded ordnance, ensure access to safe water and sanitation facilities, and distribute essential items for those displaced.

ENDS:

Sources:

Lebanon Ministry of Health

Israeli strikes have killed 380 in Lebanon since truce: Health ministry

Lebanon Ministry of Health

Lebanon-Emergency-Sitrep-23-2026.pdf

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