Despite telling the Israeli public that returning the hostages is the IDF’s most important goal of the war, a military document stating the objectives of a planned offensive in Gaza places the Hamas-held captives in sixth and last place, Haaretz reports.
The objectives of the planned offensive were presented yesterday to commanders.
According to Haaretz, the document states the following objectives: 1. Defeating Hamas; 2. Operational control over the territory; 3. Demilitarizing the territory; 4. Striking Hamas government targets; 5. Concentrating and moving the population; 6. Returning the captives.
The list of objectives uses the word “captives” and not hostages.
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday that returning the hostages is the most important goal, and defeating Hamas is second. A senior IDF official made similar remarks to reporters last week.
The IDF does not immediately respond to the report.
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