Former Israeli Minister of War, Yoav Galant, has unveiled details regarding the war launched by “Israel” against Gaza and Lebanon, as well as key aspects of the prisoner exchange negotiations with the resistance.
In interviews with Yedioth Ahronoth and Channel 12, Galant stated: “When I asked the Air Force to present me with a plan to assassinate [Hezbollah Secretary-General] Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, I inquired about the chances of success. They responded: 90%. I then asked, ‘How many tons of bombs will you drop?’ They told me: 40 tons. I told them to double it to ensure a 99% success rate. Consequently, they increased the quantity to 80 tons.”
Galant revealed that the Israeli security cabinet was on the verge of approving the assassination of Sayyed Nasrallah before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suddenly halted the decision, arguing that Tel Aviv was not ready to take such a step. He added that Nasrallah had been in the targeted location for days, and there was concern that he might leave at any moment.
“Pager Operation” – Years in the Making
Discussing “Operation Pager,” Galant explained that the operation had been in preparation for years before the war.
“On the day I proposed attacking Hezbollah, thousands of pager devices were in the possession of the party’s members,” he stated.
He continued: “By the time we were forced to execute the operation, most of the communication devices were already stored away, and their destruction caused no significant damage. If we had carried out the operation on October 11, the destruction of the pagers would have been secondary compared to the destruction of wireless communication devices, which could have wiped out thousands of Hezbollah fighters.”
The “Pager Operation,” executed by Israeli intelligence against thousands of Hezbollah fighters on September 17, resulted in dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries among the resistance fighters.
Netanyahu’s Fear and Hesitation
Regarding Netanyahu’s conduct during the war, Galant remarked: “From day one, and throughout the first weeks, the Prime Minister spread a sense of pessimism. He repeatedly warned: ‘There will be thousands of casualties. They will use the captives as human shields, placing them on rooftops and at the entrances of homes.’
He even pointed out the window of his office in the Kirya (Israel’s military headquarters) several times, saying: ‘Do you see all these buildings in Tel Aviv? They will be destroyed. Nothing will be left standing.’”
Despite warnings that attacking Gaza might result in the deaths of Israeli captives held by the resistance, Galant admitted he insisted on proceeding with the military ground operation on October 27.
“I received warnings after the events of October 7 and before launching the ground invasion that Israeli hostages in Gaza could be killed if we attacked. However, I remained adamant about the fight and carrying out the operation,” he stated.
He further admitted that even during his tenure as minister, the Israeli government “did not do everything in its power to recover the captives.”
Calls for an Investigation into the October 7 Failure
Galant emphasized that “Israel” needs a comprehensive governmental investigation into the failures that led to the events of October 7.
Prisoner Exchange Deal Sabotaged by Extremist Ministers
Regarding the prisoner exchange deal, Galant pointed out that extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich repeatedly obstructed negotiations by threatening to withdraw from the government.
“We could have finalized the same deal (as in July) but with more captives freed and at a lower price. Instead, 110 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences were added to the list later, even though they were not part of the original negotiations.”
Ben-Gvir’s Provocations and Escalation of Tensions
Discussing the former Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Galant stated that his repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem were among the factors that fueled tensions and contributed to the escalation before the October 7 resistance operation.
Netanyahu’s Secretive Plans for Gaza
Regarding the post-war situation in Gaza, Galant disclosed that Netanyahu, in closed-door meetings, claimed he did not want to govern Gaza but was under pressure from Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, who believe that Israeli settlements could be re-established there.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Galant in November last year, citing “reasonable grounds” to believe they committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
