'If we don't defeat Hamas…': Israeli envoy's ‘bigger picture’ take

Israel-Hamas War: Ambassador Gilon said, “The bigger picture here is that if we don't defeat Hamas, extremists in the world are going to raise their head.”

Ambassador of Israel to India, Naor Gilon, emphasised the global importance of defeating Hamas to prevent the resurgence of extremism. Addressing a symposium titled 'Terror Strikes Israel: Implications for National & International Security,' Ambassador Gilon said, "The bigger picture here is that if we don't defeat Hamas, extremists in the world are going to raise their head, and it's going to be unbearable for all of us."

Israel-Hamas War: Smoke and debris ascending over the northern Gaza Strip following an Israeli strike. (AFP)

This symposium was organised by The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS) and brought together experts to discuss the multifaceted challenges posed by terrorist organisations.

Lt Gen Vinod Khandare, Principal Advisor at the Ministry of Defence, elucidated the complex nature of contemporary security challenges, stressing the interplay between diplomacy and military strength, emphasising that military readiness is integral to effective diplomacy. "The countries have to understand that diplomacy goes as long as the military is strong," he noted.

Lt Gen Khandare pointed out that the era of wars is not over, saying, “So, one cannot start neglecting various fraudulent assessments and fraudulent opinions to say that the era of wars is over, nothing is over. Proxy and conventional both can go hand in hand. Maybe proxy can initiate a conflict, conventional can follow or it can be both together or it can be conventional starts and proxies are inserted into the hinterland.”