During a visit to Gaza on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that Israel’s military campaign against Hamas would not drag on indefinitely.
“We are intensifying our activity in accordance with the orderly plan. Hamas is under tremendous pressure; it has lost most of its assets and its command and control,” Zamir said while touring Khan Younis in southern Gaza with Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor.
Zamir made it clear that the military would deploy every available resource to secure the release of the hostages and bring about the downfall of Hamas. “We will activate all of our tools so that we can return the hostages home, defeat Hamas, and dismantle its rule,” he stated, according to a release from the IDF.
He reiterated that the campaign had clear parameters and would not continue without purpose. “This is not an endless war,” he said, “we will act to shorten it per the fulfillment of its objectives.”
The chief of staff stressed that the IDF was striving for a conclusive and efficient outcome. “We seek to achieve a decisive victory, and we will do so with determination, thoroughness, and while ensuring the safety of our forces,” Zamir added.
Zamir’s comments followed reports on Friday concerning Maj. Gen. David Zini, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pick to lead the Shin Bet, who allegedly told military associates: “I’m against hostage deals. This is an eternal war.”
Zamir removed Zini from the army on Friday after discovering that Zini had been in direct contact with Netanyahu without consulting IDF leadership. However, a subsequent military statement clarified that Zini “was not dismissed from the IDF,” but instead “agreed that he would retire.”
According to Channel 12, Zini also previously criticized Zamir’s predecessor, Herzi Halevi, for his approach to the hostage situation, accusing him of placing the rescue of hostages above military objectives: “You prioritize the return of the hostages over destroying Hamas.”
In addition to that critique, the network noted that anonymous high-ranking military officials reported Zini had repeatedly voiced opposition to any arrangements aimed at returning the hostages.
On Sunday, Netanyahu pushed back against claims that he had refused to make Zini his military secretary last year because he considered him “too messianic.”
Zini’s appointment to lead the Shin Bet remains unresolved due to ongoing legal concerns related to Netanyahu’s role in the selection, especially in light of a High Court ruling that said Netanyahu had a conflict of interest in removing current agency head Ronen Bar.
{Matzav.com}