Amir Avivi, a retired brigadier-general, has said Israel’s military attacks in Gaza would end in failure if Israeli forces withdraw before fully taking out Hamas, Al Jazeera reports, citing Israel’s Maariv newspaper.

“In order to dismantle Hamas in Gaza and destroy all of the organization’s terror infrastructure, we need a period of at least two years within Gaza,” said Avivi in comments to Israel’s Maariv newspaper.

“The state of Israel cannot exit Gaza again,” said Avivi. “If there is another disengagement, then what have we accomplished? Why have we fought until now if we haven’t dismantled Hamas from within?”

The former military official added that Israel should maintain long-term security control of Gaza as it does in the occupied West Bank.