Israel’s desire to destroy Hamas ‘unrealistic’: Russia’s Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said Israel’s goal of eliminating the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas is an “unrealistic” task.

Speaking at the end of his visit to Malaysia after attending the 57th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos on Saturday, Lavrov said Hamas will not cease to exist as it has support from the Muslim world.

“Israel says through [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu that the war will not end until Hamas is completely eradicated. In my opinion, and that of many of my partners, that is an unrealistic mission,” he said.

“Hamas continues to exist and has sufficient capabilities and support including in the Muslim world,” he added.

Since October last year, Netanyahu has reiterated that Hamas must be “completely destroyed” before Israel will agree to end its genocidal war against Gaza which has killed more than 39,300 Palestinians so far.

However, domestic pressure is running high in the occupied territories for a deal that would bring home the remaining 110 captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of Israelis have consistently rallied against Netanyahu and his cabinet, demanding early elections and a deal to return the captives.

In mid-June, Netanyahu dissolved his six-member war cabinet, a widely expected decision that followed the departure of his war minister Benny Gantz, and his ally Gadi Eisenkot.

Gantz quit over what he said was the lack of strategy for the war.

Some days later, the spokesperson for the Israeli military Daniel Hagari, told Channel 13 News that the aim of eradicating Gaza’s leadership was unattainable.

“This business of destroying Hamas, making Hamas disappear — it’s simply throwing sand in the eyes of the public. Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party. It’s rooted in the hearts of the people — anyone who thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong,” he said.

But Netanyahu is also facing opposition from his far-right cabinet partners to any agreement to end the war.

Earlier last month, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, two Israeli ministers, threatened to quit and collapse the coalition if Netanyahu agrees to a Gaza ceasefire proposal unveiled by US President Joe Biden at the time.

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Elsewhere in his remarks, Lavrov said certain countries are trying to draw up new compromise proposals that call for an end to violence step by step, “given that Israel rejects an immediate ceasefire.”

“Some Arab countries, Egypt and Qatar, are working with the Americans, and they also hold some meetings with the Israelis.”

However, he said he thinks it is not very good that the Palestinians are excluded from meetings that are designed to eventually determine their future.

“In this regard, we will continue to help restore the Palestinian unity,” the Russian foreign minister said.

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