New Delhi: Israel’s top military commander has said that conditions for a deal with Hamas are ready. Reported by Israeli media, the statement has placed fresh pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Channel 13 quoted IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir as saying that the army has finalised the terms of a possible agreement for the release of hostages held in Gaza. “It is now in the hands of the prime minister,” he was quoted as saying.
Mediators Push For Agreement
Regional mediators from Egypt and Qatar have presented a new proposal. Israel’s security cabinet is scheduled to discuss it on Tuesday. Hamas had already signalled its acceptance of the plan a week ago.
The proposal is understood to build on a framework introduced in June by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. It outlines a two-stage release of hostages during a 60-day ceasefire, followed by negotiations for a permanent truce. Hamas would release about half the hostages in the first phase.
Netanyahu’s office has earlier taken a harder line. It said that Israel would only accept a deal that secured the release of all hostages at once.
Public Anger, Street Protests
The call for a deal comes at a time of widespread public unrest. Earlier this month, Tel Aviv witnessed one of the largest demonstrations since the Gaza war began. Tens of thousands took to the streets, demanding an immediate end to the fighting and the safe return of captives.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed Zamir’s statement. In a public message, it said, “Zamir has spoken the words most Israelis are demanding. The release of around 20 surviving hostages. The end of the war. Nothing less.”
The group is now preparing another mass protest against the government on Tuesday.
Israeli Strikes Continue In Gaza
Even as talks move forward, Israeli raids have not stopped. On Monday, Israeli strikes hit the area around Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. At least 15 people were killed. Among the dead were five journalists, one from Reuters and others linked to the Al Jazeera, the Associated Press and the NBC.
Reuters confirmed that one of its cameramen died in the attack. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged carrying out the strike. “The Chief of the General Staff has ordered an immediate preliminary investigation. The IDF regrets harm caused to innocent people and does not target journalists,” it said in a statement.
A day earlier, Israeli fighter jets and tanks bombarded several parts of Gaza city. The assault is part of a broader plan to expand Israel’s ground hold over the territory.
Netanyahu Under Fire
Netanyahu has vowed to “defeat Hamas”. His determination to press on with the war has drawn criticism both abroad and at home.
Israeli media reports suggest that Gen. Zamir has warned against a full takeover of Gaza city. He argued that such a move would endanger the hostages and overextend an already exhausted army.
The prime minister has reportedly set a symbolic target. He wants full control of Gaza city by October 7, the anniversary of the Hamas assault that triggered the conflict two years ago.
The military campaign has displaced over one million people from Gaza to camps in the south. The United Nations says 1.9 million people across Gaza (nearly 90 percent of the population) have been forced from their homes.
Humanitarian Collapse
UN-backed monitors warned last week that famine is already underway in the strip. Over half a million people are facing “hunger, poverty and death”.
Aid agencies say the crisis stems from Israel’s blockade on food and humanitarian supplies.
Israel has dismissed the reports. Officials said claims of famine were “completely false”.
A Devastating Toll
The war began after the Hamas launched a surprise assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack killed around 1,200 people and led to 251 abductions.
Israel’s military response has since killed more than 62,686 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The United Nations has described those figures as credible.