Israel-Hamas war: IDF commanders feel destroying Hamas, freeing hostages ‘mutually incompatible’

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a war in Gaza for 100 days since gunmen affiliated with the Palestinian militant group initiated an attack in southern Israel which led to a robust Israeli military response, resulting in the loss of almost 24,000 Palestinian lives so far.

However, Israel’s limited success has started raising doubts, with the Israel Defense Force (IDF) leadership believing that “the dual objectives of freeing the hostages and eradicating Hamas are now mutually incompatible”, a New York Times report stated.

The report also claimed that it has examined Israeli battle plans since the beginning of the conflict, revealing that the IDF currently have control over a smaller portion of the Gaza Strip than initially planned.

This slower-than-expected progress has forced certain IDF commanders to believe that securing the freedom of over 100 Israeli hostages from Gaza can only be achieved through diplomatic means rather than military measures.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, four senior military leaders told The New York Times that the dual objectives of freeing the hostages and destroying Hamas are now mutually incompatible.

Furthermore, the commanders opined that the attempt to fully dismantle Hamas would most likely cost the lives of Israelis held captive in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the report said.

“The commanders said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s equivocation about a postwar plan for Gaza was at least in part to blame for the military’s predicament on the battlefield,” the report added.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military refused to respond to the commanders’ remark, The New York Times said.

According to the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA), the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, launched in the wake of a deadly rampage by Hamas militants in southern Israel has displaced over 1.7 million people – around 75% of the population of Gaza.

Israel, on the other hand, has seen over 1,400 deaths, but continues pounding the Gaza Strip as over 100 Israeli hostages are still held by Hamas militants.

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