Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has warned that Israel is unlikely to get back the remaining captives in Gaza if it prioritises destroying Hamas, Al Jazeera reports.

“I am the last one to oppose the complete destruction of Hamas, but if we destroy Hamas before bringing back the hostages, we simply won’t have any hostages left to return,” Gallant told an Anti-Defamation League event in New York, according to Israel’s Ynet news site.

“First and foremost, we must bring back the hostages, and then we will continue to destroy Hamas until its complete demise,” he said.