Israel should capitalize on the war's achievements and free the hostages - opinion

The Commanders for Israel’s Security movement, which numbers over 550 former senior officers in the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet, Israel Police, and Foreign Service has called upon the government of Israel and the prime minister not to let the torrent of current events distract them from the urgent need to complete the war objectives in the South – first and foremost, to return all of the hostages, bring those who were murdered to burial, and conclude the war that is continuing to claim casualties on a daily basis.

While the people of Israel are praying for the release of the hostages, and each hostage that returns constitutes an entire world, victory will be achieved only when the last of the hostages returns and IDF soldiers are not risking their lives in a war, the military objectives of which were achieved long ago: Hamas no longer rules, and its leaders have been eliminated and its brigades dismantled.

The only worthy image of victory is one of all of the hostages back with their families.

After over 430 days of fighting, the time of reckoning has come.

The fact that Hamas is an organization of despicable murderers who deserve to be eliminated is indisputable. But the pursuit of the vestiges of the terror organization and the last of the terrorists must not delay the return of our hostages for a single minute.

The test of leadership is the sound management of risks. Based on the cumulative security experience of the movement’s hundreds of members, we assert that the IDF’s war achievements enable the government to make the obligatory decision: The war can be ended in order to return the hostages. And if a new threat arises in the South, warfare can be resumed as needed. The government has reached this conclusion vis-à-vis the North. All the more, it should make the decision regarding the South, primarily for the sake of the hostages and their loved ones.

The price of failing to act in accordance with the declared war aims

It is no secret that the government’s conduct reflects conflicting interests. On the one hand, there are the declared objectives that are guiding the IDF, with wide public support: destroying the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas and returning the hostages.

On the other hand, there is an extremist stream in the government that is promoting entirely different objectives: occupying Gaza, establishing a military government, and renewing Jewish settlement. These latter objectives have never been openly presented, raised for discussion, or voted upon. Instead, they are being advanced in a criminal way. This course of action threatens to entangle the IDF in an endless war, risking soldiers’ lives and dooming the hostages, all for the sake of the delusions of an extremist stream among us.  

The military campaign has fulfilled its objectives. An aimless war means the needless death of soldiers.

Hamas as a military force no longer exists. Its chain of command has been severed, its brigades dissolved, and most of its operational infrastructure destroyed. The IDF completed its offensive long ago and its hands are tied in continuing the fight against what remains of Hamas due to the fear of harming the hostages. The deployment of IDF forces in routine military outposts exposes them to guerrilla attacks. It has already been proven more than once that using military pressure as leverage for liberating the hostages endangers both the hostages and those fighting to free them. The accomplishments in the North that led to a separation of the fronts have created additional leverage for reaching an accord in the South. The path to an agreement is paved. A decision is needed.

Avoiding discussion of the ‘day after’ – a component in a plan of deception

The regional and international coalition led by the United States and including Arab states hostile to Hamas has made it clear that it is prepared to administer Gaza – including both the security and financial aspects – and to prevent the resurgence of Hamas, all in full coordination with our forces and with respect for Israel’s security needs, provided that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is on board. Israel’s rejection of this option underlines the contradiction between the declared war objectives, for which our soldiers are risking their lives, and the fulfillment of the fantasies of a small group that has taken an entire state hostage. We are paying a steep price for this surrender to extremists and will continue to pay for years to come.

The ‘Netanyahu plan’ has been available since May

On May 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a plan to the US and to Hamas (via Egypt and Qatar) for ending the war and returning the hostages. Under the title “General Principles for an Agreement between the Israeli Side and the Palestinian Side in Gaza,” the document includes “the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners and a sustained lull in fighting that will lead to a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the rehabilitation of the Strip, the opening of border crossings, and the enabling of transit of people and goods.”

The plan received the Israeli cabinet’s approval and was adopted by the US president and the UN Security Council. According to reports from the intermediaries, Hamas also approved the plan on July 2. The tragedy is that the father of the plan is also the one who killed it: A few days after Hamas’ approval, a “Document of Clarifications” emerged that introduced the contrived and baseless demands for retaining Israeli control of the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors. We don’t know whether Hamas would have ultimately torpedoed the deal, but we’ll also never know, because the prime minister’s new conditions prevented Hamas from having to face this dilemma.

We’re just a step away from victory in Gaza – it’s up to us

After 430 days of warfare that achieved Israel’s military objectives and with 100 hostages still held in Gaza, the government demonstrated, in reaching a ceasefire in Lebanon under even more complicated circumstances, that it is possible to make decisions. The time has come to make decisions about Gaza, too.

After achieving a military victory, it is possible and essential to (1) return the hostages – not in stages that endanger the lives of those not released in the initial stage; (2) ensure that the next government in Gaza is not a Hamas regime; (3) maintain overall security responsibility in the coming years; and (4) condition the rehabilitation of Gaza on its demilitarization.

This is the plan the prime minister devised, and the majority of the Israeli people support it. The prime minister should stick to this plan and implement it.

It is in our hands. The prime minister of Israel should make it clear to the public whether he is serving the national interest, Israel’s security, and the will of the majority and thus working to immediately execute his initiative, or whether he sides with the extremist minority that is embroiling Israel in a delusional adventure in Gaza at the expense of the hostages, the IDF soldiers, and Israel’s security.

There’s no complete victory without the release of all of the hostages.

The writer, an IDF major-general (ret.), is chairman of Commanders for Israel’s Security. He is a former deputy defense minister and served as deputy IDF chief of staff.