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Israeli security chiefs say 6-week withdrawal of troops will not harm war effort

Israel’s security chiefs unanimously agreed that if the current hostage deal were implemented, a 6-week pause in fighting wouldn’t interfere with Israel’s security goals for Gaza, as reported by Channel 12.

As part of a a hostage release and prisoner exchange deal, Hamas demanded a full withdrawal of IDF troops from the Gaza Strips during the initial 6-weeks.

The security chief said this period wouldn’t be sufficient for Hamas to regroup and rearm.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar all told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they agreed with the hostage deal currently being negotiated.

In a statement, they said, “We are aware of the security ramifications, but this is the time to prioritize releasing the hostages, whose time is limited.”

They add that they have taken into account pressing security issues such as control of the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, and the return of Gazans and terror operatives to the Strip’s north.

Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu pushed back against the flexibility of the security chiefs.

Halevi reportedly told Netanyahu, “We will know how to create all the flexibility needed to honor the terms of the deal. This is the time to combine the military pressure and the negotiations and see how to move forward [to a deal].”

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With negotiations renewing on Thursday, it doesn’t appear that Netanyahu has moved from his previous demands, including the prevention of any potential armed terrorists from returning to northern Gaza and his refusal to agree to a complete and permanent ceasefire in phase one.

Hostage negotiations were at a standstill for weeks as Hamas and Israel reached an impasse, with Israel agreeing to only a pause in fighting in phase one and Hamas demanding a complete and permanent ceasefire from Israel before the first phase.

Talks resumed when Hamas indicated it would consider some flexibility on when the full ceasefire would be implemented, but insisted it would have to before phase two.