Former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror said that Israel does not occupy Gaza, nor does it control the flow of good in and out of Gaza, speaking on Al Jazeera’s talkshow UpFront with Marc Lamont Hill.

When confronted by Hill on Israel’s targeting of Palestinian civilians, Amidror said “The fact that we are killing civilians… What is the alternative? We will not kill any civilians, and we cannot fight Hamas. And Hamas is fighting behind the civilians. So the alternative not to kill civilians meaning — the practical meaning of it — is not to kill Hamas. To let Hamas rule the Gaza Strip after this declaration of war and atrocities.”

“[…] You tell me that that general, because they are hiding behind civilians, and you cannot kill civilians, so they will be immune? We are not buying the logic. We will continue to destroy Hamas and if that payment will be paid by the civilians of Gaza, they can apply to Hamas. Hamas is there. Hamas was elected by them. And they can apply to Hamas and ask Hamas to stop.

“And by the way, if they surrender, immediately we will not kill any civilians.”

Amidror also claimed that Israel gave Gazans plenty of time to evacuate areas to be targeted, but Hamas “blocked the way to those safe havens.”

Amidror, who is also a fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said that “Israel tried to help the economy of Gaza.”

Watch the full show here.