Exclusive: Israeli Defence Official On Hamas Threat, Civilian Deaths In Gaza

As the conflict across the Middle East continues to intensify, Lieutenant Ben Cohen, Deputy International Spokesperson of the Israel Defence Force (IDF), said Israel remains on "high alert" amid continued attacks across multiple fronts, accusing militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon of repeatedly violating ceasefire arrangements.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Aishvarya Jain, Cohen said Israeli forces are currently dealing with threats from Gaza, Lebanon and Iran-backed groups operating across the region. "On all fronts, the IDF remains on high alert, and we want to protect Israeli civilians," he said.

Referring to Gaza, Cohen accused Hamas of continuing attacks despite ceasefire understandings. "Hamas has been systematically violating the ceasefire through refusal to disarm and through attacks targeting Israeli soldiers and civilians," he claimed.

Speaking on the northern front, the Israeli officer said Hezbollah continues to target Israel from Lebanon. "Thousands of projectiles have been fired at Israeli territory over recent weeks," Cohen said, while stressing that Israeli forces continue operations aimed at protecting civilians living near border regions.

The IDF spokesperson also responded to criticism surrounding civilian casualties during urban warfare operations in Gaza. Cohen defended Israel's military strategy and claimed extensive measures are taken to reduce harm to civilians.

"I cannot describe in words how precise IDF operations are behind the scenes and how much effort is invested in preventing civilian casualties," he said.

According to Cohen, Israeli forces use intelligence-based targeting, precision munitions and evacuation warnings before carrying out operations in densely populated areas.

"We give up the element of surprise in many situations to protect civilians. Every civilian life lost is a tragedy, and we investigate such incidents," he added.

Cohen also spoke about what he described as misinformation and propaganda surrounding the ongoing conflict, saying false narratives often spread online before official facts emerge.

"There is a lot of fake news being spread about the IDF. We always check the facts, provide evidence and tell the truth. But sometimes fake stories spread faster than the truth," he said.

On the broader question of peace in the region, Cohen said Israelis ultimately want stability and security but continue to face threats from extremist organisations.

"Every Israeli civilian and every Israeli soldier wants to live in peace," he said.

"Unfortunately, we are surrounded by terrorist organisations whose goal is to destroy us. That is why we have the IDF because we have no other way," he added.