Israel's goals in its fight against Hamas have been to destroy the enemy and get back the hostages taken by the terrorists, but ultimately, the ends are "in conflict and always have been," Eric Navarro, the director of military and strategy programs at the Mideast Forum, told Newsmax Sunday.
"I've been very negative on whether or not they would release the hostages throughout," Navarro said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend," adding that the two-part plan limits the fight.
"When you're worried about getting the hostages back, it limits your war, the way you conduct things," he added. "On top of that, Hamas wants the pictures of dead Palestinian civilians, so they hide amongst them. They hide the hostages amongst them, and they want the Israelis to attack them and kill the civilians. For those pictures, for the propaganda effect that it has."
And when there are major political candidates, such as New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, bashing Israel, "Hamas sees that," said Navarro.
"That's terrifying," he added. "[They're] winning the propaganda war."
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's ordering strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities has sent a message to the rest of the world, including China, Navarro agreed.
"President Trump reestablished peace through strength by demonstrating strength and then reestablished strategic deterrence," he said. "Remember, our adversaries are watching our every move. They responded to former President [Joe] Biden's disastrous retreat from Afghanistan. You saw [Vladimir] Putin invade Ukraine shortly after, thinking the U.S. wouldn't respond and was weak. "
But Trump's strikes had the opposite effect, showing Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping and others that Trump "means what he says and will do what's necessary," Navarro said.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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