The Wall Street Journal reported recently that according to senior Egyptian officials, a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas could be reached before the start of Ramadan. Later, it was reported that Israeli decided not to send anyone to continue talks in Cairo after Hamas refused to include a list of living hostages. Maj.-Gen. (res.) Israel Ziv, former head of the IDF's Operations Directorate, spoke this morning with Udi Segal and Tal Shalev on 103FM and addressed the issue.
"I think it's a mistake not to send the Israeli delegation because not sending the delegation is essentially a kind of protest or objection to something, and it's not exactly clear to me against whom we are protesting," Ziv said at the start of the conversation. "It's not the first time we have done it. If we are doing it to do it against Hamas, we only strengthen their power. Israel behaves like some small child who is being contradictory; we're just giving them more power. If it's against the mediators who are trying to help, in the end, they will tire of this. This is our problem."
According to Ziv, "No one cares about our internal explanations for why we are right. Israel did not raise the issue (of the list of hostages) initially, so even if it's right, don't bring it up after the fact."
Secondly, Ziv explained, "It's much more important for us to show good will towards those who are constantly making efforts on our behalf, regardless of whether there will be a deal or not. Israel needs to show, for its own public opinion, that it is doing everything for this to happen. You're asking me if it will happen? I am more skeptical. I have always been skeptical until things happen because I'm not sure that the one who needs to give the answers on the other side is actually functioning."
During the conversation, Ziv elaborated on his doctrine regarding the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip: "Strategically, I think that the action there (in Rafah) should definitely have been carried out at the beginning of the war. As for the situation and decision-making process [regarding the counter-invasion of Gaza], since we weren't fully clear about what we were getting into, I can understand the considerations for why we did it in phases."
Ziv noted that "there were talks that Israel would finish its military operations by January, it received a sort of 'extension' from the Americans until March. It was quite clear that in March, from the American perspective, it was already a line that cannot be crossed. Internally, because of their own campaign, because of international pressure, they can't stand by Israel. In the end, they also have American considerations. Therefore, I think the window of American and international credit has closed. Today there are already five countries that impose an embargo on us, there is the European Union and UN, which are also already deliberating such a thing. Israel's international credit has ended."
Has the Israel-Hamas war already ended?
"There's another matter here, more significant – the war as a war has already ended two months ago," Ziv continued. "The IDF has already moved to stage C. The IDF is no longer conducting intense warfare like at the beginning or like in Gaza or the entry into Khan Yunis. The IDF has already shifted there to [more targeted] operations. As far as it's concerned, the breaking of Hamas's military resistance has already occurred. Today, apart from Rafah, and maybe another camp that it hasn't entered, the IDF already controls Gaza militarily. We haven't gotten every last terrorist, but in terms of military control over the Strip, the IDF can [now] be anywhere, any time during the day, almost anywhere. "
"However," Ziv continued, "Hamas no longer an army, it has reverted to being some kind of underground terrorist organization, that's a completely different story and we need to deal with that in parallel to preventing the chaos we see before our eyes with civilian control, because without civilian control we need to bring the brigades back in to be everywhere, or alternatively make a decision that the government or the prime minister refuses to do, and decide that we are establishing a Palestinian government there."