In recent days, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly cautioned government ministers that a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza could endanger the lives of the hostages still held by Hamas, according to a Channel 13 report.
“In a plan for a full-scale maneuver, we won’t necessarily reach the hostages,” Zamir said, as quoted by the network. “Keep in mind that we could lose them.”
Zamir also acknowledged that Israel’s two core objectives in the war — eliminating Hamas and recovering the hostages — are not easily compatible. “The war’s two goals of defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages,” he said, “are problematic in relation to each other.”
Families of those held captive have raised this concern for months, emphasizing that the government must prioritize the hostages’ return. However, leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu have argued that sustained military pressure will help secure a deal for their release.
Despite Zamir’s sobering assessment, Channel 13 reports that the cabinet was not deterred and that the Israel Defense Forces are expected to escalate their campaign in Gaza in the near future.
In reaction to the broadcast, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a stark statement: “The chief of staff’s warning should keep every Israeli awake at night. An overwhelming majority of the nation is united around the understanding that an Israeli victory cannot be achieved without bringing the hostages home. Losing the hostages would mean an Israeli defeat. National security and social stability depend on the return of all the hostages — every last one.”
{Matzav.com Israel}