Former Israeli ambassador Mark Regev told AIJAC that, because of Hamas’s conduct, Israel has been left with no realistic alternative but to use force to remove the threat.
In the interview he said that Israel “has to go in and finish the job” unless Hamas changes its stance.
Regev suggested that a ceasefire could — in principle — be considered if Hamas suddenly showed willingness to negotiate, but added that such an option isn’t available at present
“Hamas through their behavior I think have given Israel no choice. Israel has to go in and finish the job. If suddenly Hamas is open to some sort of ceasefire, I think Israel should consider that very seriously. Yes. Because we shouldn’t be on automatic pilot. But Hamas now has said no to any solution, any diplomatic solution. Release the hostages, end the war. They’ve given us no choice. We have to go in and unless something changes, we have to go in there and finish the job with the military.”
Regev framed the military approach as a reluctant but necessary response tied to the twin goals of compelling hostage releases and neutralising Hamas’s capacity to wage war.
He portrayed the idea of a ceasefire and a military campaign not as mutually exclusive ends but as outcomes that depend entirely on Hamas’s willingness to accept diplomatic terms — something Regev argued is currently absent.
His message was that while Israel should remain open to a diplomatic pause if circumstances permit, the present reality, in his view, forces Israel to pursue a full military campaign until Hamas either capitulates or the situation meaningfully changes.
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