Israel Matzav: War in Gaza on the horizon

War in Gaza on the horizon

Former IDF OC Southern Command Yom Tov Samia says that another war in Gaza is almost inevitable and that Israel must seek more long-lasting results this time.

"We are before another round in Gaza," Samia told Army Radio in an interview. "I am very skeptical about the possibility that Hamas will suddenly surrender or change its ways without being hit much more seriously than it was during Cast Lead."

Israel must carry out "a more focused strike with long-lasting results" the former commander said, and advised that the in the next war, the army should take control of certain areas in Gaza so that Hamas understands its own actions have lead to this loss.

"We must create a situation in which Hamas runs out of oxygen," Samia told the radio station.

Samia went on to say that Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas the Fatah movement have virtually no supporters in the Gaza Strip. They are "certainly very weak or almost non existent in the Strip. For Abu Mazen (Abbas), the best chance at returning to power is taking a serious, significant and critical step that would drive Hamas out of power," Samia said.

Samia's remarks came days after OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant warned on Wednesday that the quiet in Israel's South may be temporary.

I'm bothered by the fact that Samia - who probably reflects IDF thinking - looks at another war as an opportunity to install Fatah in power in Gaza. We don't gain anything by that.

But I agree that another war is inevitable and probably on the not-too-distant horizon, and that Israel must do something that will make the results more long-lasting than the results of last year's war have been.

The picture at the top is some of the night life in the 'World's largest concentration camp.' Don't they look like they're suffering?

Israel Matzav: War in Gaza on the horizon