Former Israeli national security adviser says Israel must recognize Hamas as responsible Gaza government

Gen. (res) Giora Eiland said the defense minister Ehud Barak had “blinked prematurely” when he authorized resumed oil and medicines shipments to the Gaza Strip from Tuesday, Jan. 22, only two days after the sanction was imposed. Hamas claims to govern the Gaza Strip and admits its accountability as such. Eiland calls on Israel to take its leaders at their word. Recognizing their government – albeit not politically, or for direct negotiations – would open the way to an understanding for stopping the missile blitz on Israeli civilians and exchanging prisoners. The general urged Israel to stop trying to overthrow Hamas. If Palestinian fire from Gaza persists nonetheless, then Israel is fully entitled to pursue its military options to a much more powerful extent than hitherto, hit Hamas institutions and impose a total cutoff of supplies to the terrorist regime.