Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said: “In the Gaza Strip, we have struck Hamas, significantly weakened it, and fundamentally changed the security reality”.
“The IDF will continue to operate proactively and according to the principle we established – to remove threats and, in every situation, protect the communities and their residents and safeguard their security.”
After Israel voiced objections to the initial roadmap, the Board of Peace met Netanyahu on Monday, assuring him that the Israeli military would only be required to leave its current positions in Gaza after Hamas’ “complete” disarmament.
But pressure has been growing on Netanyahu from the right flank of his ruling coalition, with two far-right ministers requesting a new vote to reject the plan, saying it did not reflect what the cabinet approved.
With Israel and Netanyahu looking increasingly isolated on the world stage, the country has little chance of tearing up the US-sponsored plan, according to Tal Elovits, a researcher at Israeli think tank Molad.
Referring to Trump, Elovits said: “Netanyahu has no other option besides listening to his only friend left in the diplomatic community”.
Netanyahu, who faces a tough re-election fight in October, said on Wednesday that Trump “is our greatest friend, one of the greatest friends we have had in the White House”.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem on Wednesday reiterated the group’s “commitment to what was agreed upon with the mediators and the Board of Peace”.
The group called on Washington and Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s high representative for Gaza, to pressure Israel “to abide by the agreement, so that we can see serious and practical steps taken”.
Israeli media reported that troops had been instructed to seek authorisation from the army chief for strikes in Gaza, unless they are in “immediate danger” – a change of policy from previous directives, under which attacks only required approval from the head of the regional command.
Israel’s military, when questioned, referred AFP to the “political echelon” for a response.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu declined to comment.
Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1221 people, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people, according to the territory’s health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.
– AFP