Israeli reports revealed that senior security leaders and ministers are pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in order to reach a temporary ceasefire agreement with Hamas, instead of expanding the ground operation against Gaza City, according to the Wall Street Journal.
During a meeting of the security cabinet that lasted six hours on Sunday evening, the Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, warned that progress towards a wide operation may lead to a direct Israeli military rule on Gaza. The head of the “Mossad” device, David Bernie and Foreign Minister Gazaoun Saar, also expressed similar reservations, and called for a deal with “Hamas” to release some Israeli detainees.
An in -depth division about the goals of the war
This dispute reflects a widening gap between Netanyahu and the pillars of the security establishment. Military leaders complained about the absence of a clear vision of the end of the war, while Netanyahu continues to push towards the Battle of Gaza despite the increasing internal opposition and international criticism.
Zamir warned that the collapse of Hamas’s rule may make Israel legally responsible for providing basic services to the residents of the sector, such as health, education and sanitation, which may cost the treasury about 10 billion dollars annually.
As for Saar, he expressed his concern about the diplomatic cost to continue the war in light of the increasing criticism of civil losses, stressing the need to save the largest possible number of detainees before international pressure was aggravated.
The detainees’ dilemma and the pressure of the army
Operating opponents believe that the incursion into Gaza is exposing the Israeli detainees and soldiers to severe dangers. Zamir also opposed a full occupation of the sector due to the exhaustion of the reserve forces after its frequent summoning for nearly two years.
The former military commander of the southern region, Israel is false.
Last August, Zamir indicated that the army “prepared the circumstances” to conclude an exchange deal, considering that the role is now in the hands of the political leadership. On the other hand, “Hamas” renewed its willingness to a ceasefire that includes hostages in exchange for negotiations to end the war, which was rejected by the Netanyahu office and considered it a “media maneuver.”
Military preparations are continuing
Despite the reservations, the Israeli army continues its preparations. He began to move on the outskirts of Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live and are believed to have hostages, in addition to calling tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.
Netanyahu insists that Gaza City represents the “stronghold of Hamas” and considers the process necessary to eliminate the movement. His government requires ending the war only if “Hamas” handed over weapons, release all detainees, and abandoned power in favor of a civil administration under the supervision of an Israeli security.
However, these conditions were rejected by Hamas, while the brokers and the families of the detainees confirm that they are unrealistic and hindered the arrival of an agreement.
Just in negotiations
“Hamas” had expressed its willingness to deal with a truce for 60 days, during which 10 hostages were delivered in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, with negotiations on a permanent truce. However, Israel did not provide a clear response to the brokers, which kept negotiations in a state of stalemate.
Netanyahu’s positions raised repeated clashes with security leaders, some of which ended with the dismissal of prominent officials, including a former defense minister and a former president of the “Shin Bet”. His critics accuse him of prolonging the war in order to preserve his political survival, while his coalition depends on militant right -wing ministers who oppose the end of the war and claim to rebuild Israeli settlements in Gaza.
