Israeli Defense Officials Clash with Netanyahu on Cease-Fire Terms

In a significant development, Israeli officials within the defense establishment are voicing strong opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position regarding the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border. They warn that Netanyahu’s refusal to agree to a cease-fire with Hamas may be leading Israel into a hazardous conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, as reported by several senior Israeli military and defense officials.

One anonymous military official stated, “A war with Hezbollah in Lebanon is easy to start, but very hard to end. We are losing the war, we are losing deterrence, we are losing the hostages.” Their comments underline the escalating tensions in the region and the precarious situation Israel finds itself in.

ABC News was granted access to the Philadelphi Corridor, an area about half a mile wide that runs the length of the southern Gaza border with Egypt. Once filled with residential blocks, the area now lies in ruins, littered with the remnants of past buildings amidst a desolate landscape. Israeli military officials indicated that their operations in the corridor are nearing completion.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other military personnel view a negotiated cease-fire and a hostage release deal with Hamas as crucial for resolving the ongoing regional conflicts. While Israel and Hezbollah have tentatively agreed on the general terms for reducing hostilities, Hezbollah’s involvement hinges on Israel’s willingness to broker a cease-fire with Hamas. The militant group insists that this deal must involve the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza.

Despite ongoing discussions, many Israeli officials suspect that Netanyahu is intentionally obstructing negotiations aimed at securing the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas. They point to his insistence on maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor as a possible hindrance to reaching an agreement. One high-ranking official questioned the importance of the corridor, asking, “If Philadelphi was so important, why did we wait eight months into the war to take it?”

Current conditions in Gaza have left Israeli forces feeling trapped. They are capable of inflicting casualties on Hamas militants, yet these actions do little to advance their primary goal of bringing hostages home. Defense Minister Gallant recently shared that the ethical responsibility to recover these hostages remains a priority, but optimistically stated that Israel might only manage to repatriate around 20 to 30 of the estimated 100 holdouts believed to be in Gaza.

The urgency of the situation is compounded by U.S. Envoy Amos Hochstein’s diplomatic efforts aimed at negotiating a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel. Hochstein is working toward a deal that would see Hezbollah relocate approximately 10 kilometers north, replacing its forces with those of the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in return for minor Israeli concessions along the border. This proposal has reportedly been on the table since January.

Israeli officials have raised concerns about the nation’s military preparedness for a possible escalation with Hezbollah, especially given the available munitions and interceptors for missiles and rockets. One senior official highlighted that the calls for military action against Hezbollah come from individuals who may not fully comprehend the complexities of obtaining Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), essential for converting traditional bombs into precision-guided munitions.

Additionally, the threat posed by Hezbollah, which is believed to possess over 100,000 rockets, raises alarms about potential destruction within Israel. Officials are wary of what could ensue, recalling the devastation during the 2006 conflict, which severely impacted Lebanon’s infrastructure, including the destruction of much of the electrical grid and residential areas in Beirut.

Another challenge to Israel’s security comes from recent missile attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Following an intercepted Houthi missile fired towards Israel, the group claimed responsibility, stating the missile was aimed at a significant military target near Tel Aviv. The Houthis boasted that their missile traveled over 1,200 miles within a mere 12 minutes and asserted that Israeli defenses had failed to block it. While the initial reports indicated a failure in interception, later investigations by the IDF altered that conclusion.

In response to these actions, Israeli officials are pledging to retaliate and are actively investigating how the Houthis managed to breach their air defenses on two separate occasions in the past two months. One official remarked, “The Houthis are here to stay,” indicating that they are likely to continue their assaults regardless of the fate of the ongoing cease-fire discussions with Hamas.

Source: ABC News