According to the New York Times, there appears to be a growing divide between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military of Israel due to Netanyahu’s opposition to a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, while Israel escalates its atrocities in Gaza.
The top generals think that initiating a ceasefire in Gaza would be the most effective means of releasing the 120 Israeli prisoners that Hamas is holding.
Furthermore, the truce would help reduce tensions between Israel and Hezbollah and give the forces time to recover in the event that a battle breaks out between them.
Hezbollah in Lebanon has threatened to continue hitting northern Israel until Israel agrees to halt its attacks in Gaza.
Given that Netanyahu is determined about not committing to a postwar plan, which has created a power vacuum in the enclave and forced the military to return and fight in areas of Gaza that they have previously pillaged, the IDF’s attitude toward a ceasefire reflects this shift in thought.
There have reportedly been over 4,000 injuries and 300 fatalities among Israeli forces since October.
