Israel cannot afford to stop the war in Gaza

Key Findings:

Calls within Israel to end the war in Gaza are increasing, with arguments based on moral concerns for the hostages, doubts about achieving strategic goals, and political instability. Despite public opinion, ending the war prematurely could expose Israel to existential security threats.

Israel's national security strategy is built on three pillars: deterrence, advance warning, and decisive victory. While the warning system failed on October 7, stopping the war now would mean relinquishing the chance for a clear and decisive victory against Hamas, which is crucial for Israel's security in the future generations. 

Hamas poses a significant threat to the safety within Israel’s borders and ending the war prematurely, and before a strong victory will signal to the region that Israel is vulnerable, and will inevitably increase the threat of attacks.

To strengthen Israel's security and convince its enemies that peace is the only viable option, the author argues for continuing the war until a clear and decisive victory is achieved.