IDF says war on Hamas is ‘long term', hostage deal will only delay – not compromise – war effort

With a ceasefire set to take effect on Thursday morning, Israel Defense Forces is making preparations to strengthen its defensive positions in the northern Gaza Strip. 

The Israeli government on Wednesday approved a deal for Hamas to release 50 of the 240 hostages currently held by the Hamas terror group in Gaza, in exchange for a 4-day ceasefire in the war.

In addition to the ceasefire, for the first time since the outbreak of the war, Israel has agreed to release 150 teenage and female Palestinian security prisoners. According to the deal, the pause in fighting could be extended by one additional day for each additional group of 10 Israeli hostages released from Gaza, after which Israel’s campaign to destroy Hamas in Gaza will resume.

IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Daniel Hagari said the fight against the Hamas terror organization would resume after the ceasefire has ended.

“This is a long war, with many rounds,” Hagari said. “It has set goals and it will take a long time to get to them. We will get ready for the next stages.”

IDF International Spokesman Jonathan Conricus told U.S. TV channels: “After the implementation of the hostage deal, we will continue the destruction of Hamas while respecting humanitarian law on the ground. We will remain vigilant during the ceasefire, and will use the time to prepare for future operations.” 

A senior IDF official said that soldiers would maintain a battle-ready stance, but would not “actively engage” hostile forces unless fired upon. 

“The forces during the ceasefire will be in battle mode but will not pull the trigger in a proactive way, but only in response to a recognition of the capability and intent to threaten them,” a senior IDF officer in the Southern Command told the Walla! news media outlet.

“Everyone will be alert and perform all defensive actions, but will not advance to other locations in the ground maneuver.” 

IDF officials also stated that soldiers would continue to conduct routine defensive patrols during the ceasefire, and would respond “aggressively” to any active threat. 

The officer said it is not yet clear if ground forces will have air support during the ceasefire. 

Some IDF officials expressed concerns that ending the ceasefire will be fiercely opposed by foreign nations, which could compromise the IDF’s ability to resume intense attacks against Hamas positions, especially in the southern Gaza Strip. 

Former National Security Council and Mossad head Ephraim Halevi agreed with that assessment.   

While saying the hostage deal was “the best that could have been achieved at the moment,” he also expressed some reservations about the pressures that may come next for Israel.

“There will be very great pressures in the international sphere, including the United States,” Halevi said. “I am now in the United States talking to people about the situation. The Americans also see this deal as a move that will strengthen the intention to lead the war to an end.” 

“I think there will be a lot of pressure from the United States to bring about a slowdown and maybe even an end to the fighting without Hamas actually collapsing completely,” Halevi added. 

Meir Ben-Shabbat, another former head of the National Security Council, said he believes Hamas has pinned its hopes on “internal pressure in Israel on this issue [captives], and on the pressure that the international community will exert on Israel on the humanitarian issue.” 

Ben-Shabbat stated that Israel has to defeat Hamas, no matter what happens during the ceasefire. 

“One way or another, Israel must not end the war in the Gaza Strip without toppling the Hamas regime and destroying its capabilities,” Ben-Shabbat stated.

“The difficult opening conditions in which it entered the war leave it no other choice. If it fails to achieve this, it will have implications for the balance of deterrence vis-à-vis its other enemies as well, in a way that could pose an existential threat to it.”