Former French Ambassadors Dismiss Israel's Aim to Eliminate Hamas as Illusionary

In an op-ed published in Le Monde on Saturday, the 18 former ambassadors said Israel had embarked on a strategy of total war in Gaza that is “as brutal as it is futile, and increasingly contested.”

“‘Eradicating Hamas’ is more of a slogan than a realistic objective,” the former ambassadors wrote.

“In 2006, Israel had already proclaimed its desire to ‘eradicate Hezbollah’, with the known results. Such a strategy is illusory. Hamas, which has already been targeted by five deadly military campaigns, will inevitably be reborn. The (Israeli) army will not be able to defeat a movement supported by a large part of the Palestinian population, in Gaza as well as in the West Bank, in the face of a disqualified Palestinian Authority.”

The ex-diplomats added that “everything must be done” to extend the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in order to forge a lasting ceasefire.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, it was another relatively peaceful night without the threat of Israeli air raids. Yet, amidst the ceasefire, destruction and loss persist, leaving a deep impact on the 1.5 million Palestinians unable to return to their homes in the north.

However, the ceasefire's fragility was evident as technical issues delayed the release last night, raising concerns about its stability.

Meanwhile, Israeli raids in the occupied West Bank continued, resulting in Palestinian casualties.

Reports indicate that six Palestinians have been killed since the previous night, adding to the toll of more than 229 Palestinians, including 52 children, killed since October 7 and more than 3,000 people have been arrested by the Israeli military.

Over 14,800 Palestinians were killed in Gaza in Israel's non-stop bombardment of Gaza.