Why Ehud Olmert wants an end to Israel’s war in Gaza

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert supported the war in Gaza when it began, but soon changed his mind. He advocated a limited military operation rather than a full-scale offensive.

Now, he says it’s time to end the war. He strongly opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to reoccupy Gaza and is on a mission to topple him at next year’s legislative elections.

Almost two years since Israel began its offensive in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and swathes of the strip have been reduced to rubble.

Mr Olmert says the military campaign in Gaza no longer has any attainable goals, while large numbers of Israelis are calling for a ceasefire and a deal to release the hostages.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to Mr Olmert about the current government’s policies and what needs to happen to achieve a sustainable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.