Israel's ground invasion into Gaza must wait, former Mossad official says

The IDF must delay a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip if talks for the release of hostages are ongoing, former senior Mossad official David Meidan said in a Monday morning interview with 103FM.

Meidan, who served as the coordinator for hostages and missing persons at the time of Gilad Schalit's release in 2011, said that "saving lives should be the main priority and the invasion can wait.

"The forces are there, the manpower is there and we can do it later," Meidan argued, adding that he sees a short window of opportunity to release the hostages taken by Hamas into Gaza on October 7.

Former hostages coordinator says Israel risking captives' lives

"Among the hostages are 30 children, elderly, some seriously wounded. The more you drag on a humanitarian agreement to release the weaker hostages, you are risking their lives," Meidan added.

"If I had received reports of a humanitarian deal taking place soon, I see that as a development that forces the delay of a ground incursion."

In Meidan's words, Hamas "listens to three countries, namely Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. These are the countries that can pressure Hamas [into releasing hostages]," Meidan further argued. "The United States must apply pressure on the three to make Hamas more flexible."