The New York Times reported today, based on comments of six current and former security officials, that 30 senior generals, those who make up Israel’s General Staff Forum, want Prime MInister Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire with Hamas—even if Hamas is left in power in Gaza. That’s the good news. The problem is, they are arguing that they need to prepare for a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The argument described by the Times is that the IDF, in nine months, has lost at least 674 soldiers and that their supply of artillery shells is low. The IDF clears areas of Hamas fighters, only to find the area repopulated by Hamas. Now, the generals want time to rest their troops and stockpile ammunition in case a land war with Hezbollah breaks out. Additionally, the generals also view a truce as the best means of freeing the remaining hostages, a significant difference with Netanyahu’s insistence that only “total victory” over Hamas will bring them home.
Only one of the six Times sources agreed to be identified, former National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata. “The military is in full support of a hostage deal and a ceasefire,” he said. “They believe that they can always go back and engage Hamas militarily in the future. They understand that a pause in Gaza makes de-escalation more likely in Lebanon. And they have less munitions, less spare parts, less energy than they did before—so they also think a pause in Gaza gives us more time to prepare in case a bigger war does break out with Hezbollah.”
