IDF Spokesman for the foreign press Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus told Australia’s ABC News late Sunday night that Israeli ground troops will “probably” invade Gaza unless Hamas “surrenders unconditionally.” Otherwise, the Israeli forces will “dismantle Hamas totally,” he warned.
“The aim here is to totally dismantle Hamas from its military capabilities. If that can be done from the air and with stand-off measures, with very limited exposure to our troops and less damage on the ground, that would be great,” he said but suggested a ground invasion was more likely.
“If Hamas were to come out of their hiding places where they hide behind the Israeli civilians, which is what they’re doing now, return our hostages — all 212 of them — and surrender unconditionally, then the war would end,” Conricus said, adding, “If they won’t, we will probably have to go in and get it done.”
Lt. Col. Conricus said people “should take sides… according to your own morals,” and “If you want to be on the side of the terrorists or on the side of Israel, that is your choice.”
Later, Conricus explained to an MSNBC reporter the difference between Israel which does its best to avoid harming civilians, to Hamas which dedicates its efforts to murder innocents.
On the killing of civilians. Some draw a false parity between Israeli civilians massacred on October 7 and civilians killed in Gaza. We don’t target civilians, Hamas does. @MSNBC with @yasminv pic.twitter.com/EzmIIorV2i
— Jonathan Conricus (@jconricus) October 23, 2023
