Gantz says Israel not interested in targeting Gazan civilians, but 'will destroy those who threaten us'

Speaking after Lapid, Defense Minister Benny Gantz stresses that Israel is not targeting Gaza in general or ordinary Gazans, but rather “those who are responsible for the deterioration.” He stresses that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the damage to the security and the economy of Gazans.

Noting that Islamic Jihad’s leader Ziad Nakhaleh is currently in Tehran, Gantz says that while he is there, the residents of Gaza are suffering. He also says that Hamas’s rule over Gaza, and its dire consequences, has to stop.

“We will destroy those who threaten us,” he warns, referring to former senior PIJ commander Baha Abu al-Ata who was assassinated by the IDF in 2019.

“This reality can and must be changed,” Gantz adds.