Zamir: IDF will soon know if hostage deal possible or Gaza war must intensify

Zamir also said that accusations of deliberate starvation in Gaza are a calculated and deceptive attempt to falsely portray the IDF as committing war crimes.

By JNS

The Israel Defense Forces will soon know whether a deal to recover the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza is possible or whether the military campaign will need to intensify, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on Friday.

“I think that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages. If not, the combat will continue without rest,” he said during a situational assessment in Strip.

“We will adapt it to the changing reality according to our interests—the achievements you have made provide us with operational flexibility,” he told soldiers in the Strip.

Zamir also said that accusations of deliberate starvation in Gaza are a calculated and deceptive attempt to falsely portray the IDF as committing war crimes, stressing that responsibility for the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave lies with Hamas.

“As part of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots,’ you have achieved impressive and unprecedented accomplishments. Wherever you operated, you defeated the enemy and systematically struck terrorist infrastructure, both above and below ground,” continued Zamir.

“We will persist and adapt, prepare properly, and act to maximize our advantages, reduce operational vulnerabilities and wear, and place Hamas under increasing pressure,” he said.

A delegation led by President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, and Ambassador Mike Huckabee went into the Strip on Friday to inspect aid efforts at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site in Rafah, the U.S. envoy announced.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Thursday with Witkoff, who is visiting Israel for the first time since May. The meeting came days after the collapse of indirect ceasefire negotiations between Jerusalem and Hamas in Qatar.

Palestinian terrorists are currently holding 50 hostages—49 of whom were taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of the western Negev, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 kidnapped and taken to Gaza.

According to Israeli estimates, 20 of the captives are alive.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday that “the fastest way to end the humanitarian crises in Gaza is for Hamas to surrender and release the hostages!!!”

On July 24, Witkoff said that the United States would examine “alternative options” to bring home the captives, as Hamas “does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.”

Netanyahu said on July 25 that “Steve Witkoff got it right. Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal. Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas’s terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region.”

Witkoff’s visit comes as international pressure regarding the Gaza situation intensifies, with Canada following France and the United Kingdom in announcing, on Wednesday, its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September.

Israel and the United States have rejected these moves, characterizing them as a reward to Hamas.