Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, has stated that the October 7th assault by Hamas had a significant impact on Israelis, deeply shaking their sense of security and causing a profound shift in their perception of the world around them.

Gallant gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal on Sunday. The following are some of his remarks:

“October 7 was the bloodiest day for Jewish people since 1945,” Gallant, a general-turned-politician, told The Wall Street Journal. “The world needs to understand. This is different.”

“My basic view: We are fighting an axis, not a single enemy,” Gallant said. “Iran is building up military power around Israel in order to use it.”

Gallant says the IDF would be shifting from “intense maneuvering phase of the war” toward “different types of special operations….. [but] will last for a longer time”.

“We’re close to the next phase in the north, including Gaza City,” where Israeli troops have largely established control

Gallant says that a multinational task force led by the U.S., with European and Middle Eastern partners, should oversee the “rehabilitation” of Gaza.

“We need to take into consideration the huge number of civilians,” Gallant said, adding that military tactics would need to adjust. “It will take some time,” Gallant said. “But we aren’t going to give up.”

“We see humanitarian aid as a strategic necessity,” said one Israeli official. “It will let us go after terrorists and separate them from civilians.”

Regarding Northern Israel, Gallant said:

“The priority isn’t to get into a war” with Hezbollah, Gallant said. But, he said, “Eighty-thousand people need to be able to go back to their homes safely.” If no agreement is negotiated to make that possible, he said, Israel wouldn’t shrink from military action.

“We are willing to sacrifice,” he said. “They see what is happening in Gaza. They know we can copy-paste to Beirut,” the Lebanese capital.

Gallant added that Hamas leaders didn’t expect Israel would mount a large-scale ground operation in response.

“They didn’t take it seriously, even when we first went in,” Gallant said. He said Israel’s ultimate aim is to persuade its enemies that any future attack would provoke ruinous consequences.

“Should Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran be allowed to decide how we live our lives here in Israel?” Gallant asked. “This is something we don’t accept.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)