Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused defence minister Yoav Gallant of adopting an “anti-Israel narrative”, after Gallant dismissed the idea of achieving total victory over Hamas as “gibberish”.
The exchange of barbs is the latest sign of tensions between the two men over the conduct of Israel’s 10-month-long war with Hamas in Gaza, and came just days before US-led talks to broker a deal to end the fighting and release the hostages still held by Hamas were due to resume.
Netanyahu has repeatedly promised the war will continue until Israel has achieved “total victory” over Hamas, and in recent weeks has steadily hardened the Jewish state’s stance in talks over a ceasefire, putting him at odds with his security chiefs who believe a deal would be in Israel’s interest.