Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has openly declared that the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has turned into a strategic disaster, exposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war as both a military and moral failure.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday evening, Lapid admitted that the months-long bombardment and siege of Gaza has yielded no real gains, calling it a strategic, operational, and diplomatic collapse.

“The government has failed in Gaza. Soldiers are dying for nothing. The war has no clear plan, no achievable objectives. And the hostages will not return unless the war ends,” Lapid said.

While trying to frame his remarks within Israel’s domestic politics, Lapid’s speech contained a striking acknowledgment: the so-called military campaign has deepened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to catastrophic levels.

“Humanitarian aid management in Gaza has collapsed. It simply doesn’t work. There must be no hunger in Gaza—not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because this endless war only strengthens Hamas,” Lapid admitted.

Gaza is now enduring famine, mass displacement, and total devastation, with the siege blocking essential food, medicine, and aid. Independent reports confirm “pockets” of starvation, and aid agencies warn that hundreds of thousands are at risk.

Lapid also took aim at Netanyahu’s extremist coalition partners—Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir—who are pushing for permanent military occupation of Gaza, rejecting any ceasefire even as famine spreads.

The political infighting reveals what Palestinians have long said: Israel’s war is not about security, but about maintaining control and perpetuating occupation at the cost of Palestinian lives.

Lapid’s remarks come as international pressure on Israel mounts. US President Donald Trump contradicted Netanyahu’s denial of famine in Gaza, admitting that Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for blocking aid.

Despite this, Netanyahu continues to push his war forward, ignoring both international law and the growing outrage over the genocide in Gaza.

Lapid urged the government to agree to a full ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in exchange for the release of all captives—an acknowledgment that military aggression has failed and must end.

“If we don’t end the war now, the hostages will not return, the army will keep losing soldiers, and the humanitarian disaster will worsen. The world will turn its back on us,” he said.

While Lapid’s proposal still envisions foreign administration of Gaza rather than full Palestinian sovereignty, his admission that the war is a dead end highlights what Palestinians and rights groups have been saying for months: the assault on Gaza is a humanitarian and strategic disaster that must end immediately. (ILKHA)