IDF General Uzi Dayan Urges Complete Military Control of Gaza

Uzi Dayan, former deputy chief of staff and head of the National Security Council, delivered a stark and urgent call for a decisive military operation to fully conquer Gaza. Speaking to the pressing conflict, Dayan warned that any delay in action damages Israel’s international standing and reduces the chances of returning hostages and defeating Hamas.

While there is broad consensus in Israel on the war’s goals, dismantling Hamas’s rule and securing the release of captives, Dayan stressed that these objectives require complete territorial control.

Israel has so far employed a strategy of targeted military pressure, hoping to reach a negotiated deal with Hamas, but “this approach has failed,” Dayan said.

“A terror organization like Hamas will not surrender without a genuine existential threat, control of territory, command, and resources.”

Currently, Israel controls approximately 80% of the Gaza Strip, he noted, but emphasized the need to seize critical junctions, vital infrastructure, dominant terrain, and major tunnel exits. “You need to have your hand on the food, water, electricity, and fuel pipeline,” he explained. Such comprehensive control, Dayan argued, would increase the chances of bringing hostages home and enable a faster military conclusion.

He cautioned against protracted delays, which he said would invite international pressure, weaken Israel’s global position, and spark internal divisions. “The longer it takes, the more the world will intervene, pressure us, and our operational capabilities will shrink,” Dayan warned.

Achieving goals in the Gaza Strip (Photo: Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)

Addressing proposals to seal Gaza’s supply lines, Dayan dismissed the idea as ineffective, asserting that “Hamas does not care about the population’s condition.” Instead, he called for swift and resolute military action.

Regarding the hostages, Dayan firmly opposed early concessions.

“For Hamas, the hostages are their life insurance. If we give up before we have them, it sends a message of weakness and encourages future kidnappings.”

However, he is open to broad prisoner exchanges, but only after significant military achievements.

Dayan’s message to Israel’s political leadership was succinct and clear:

“What needs to happen as soon as possible is a full conquest of the Gaza Strip. That is the best way both to defeat Hamas and to bring the hostages home.”