Israel says Gaza war likely to last another seven months
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00:00National Security Advisor to Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, said just on Wednesday
00:06that it would take at least another seven months.
00:09That's pretty much in line with the thinking of Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said absolutely
00:14outright that the Israeli Defense Forces, the IDF, will not stop until they have crushed
00:20Hamas, both in its military capacity and its capacity to govern the Gaza Strip.
00:27That, he says, will take at least seven months.
00:30That's pretty much in line, to a degree at least, that's in line to a degree at least
00:35with what the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces is saying.
00:39He says 80 percent of the targets of the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza has now been achieved,
00:4620 percent still to be achieved.
00:48But in the meantime, he says, that allows the possibility for Israel to start pressing
00:54for a deal on a ceasefire and on the release of the hostages.
00:58For now, is what he says.
01:00For now being the operative phrase.
01:02And that echoed, too, by Gadi Eisenkot, a member of the four-man war cabinet and an
01:08opposition leader, who is saying that should also be the priority.
01:13Stopping the fighting now, once Rafa is dealt with, getting a ceasefire, releasing the hostages,
01:19and then turning their attention long-term to what needs to be done in Gaza.
01:23And he suggests the conflict won't end in totality for three to five years, and it'll
01:29take even longer to put in place an administration to replace Hamas.
01:34And just, Rob, finally, from you, what are people out on the streets of Israel telling
01:39you?
01:40Do they approve of this government's handling of the conflict so far?
01:43What's the mood like?
01:45Yes, I think is the answer to that question.
01:50In brief, 64% of the population, according to a poll this week, say they are against
01:57the idea of a two-state solution to the problem.
02:00And Benjamin Netanyahu, for the first time since the start of the conflict in Gaza, is
02:06now top of the opinion polls, ahead of his all rivals.
02:09So if there were to be an election tomorrow, the likelihood is, or there will be a very
02:14good chance at least, is that Benjamin Netanyahu could win.