In the coming weeks, Israel and Hamas, through the mediating countries, will conduct complex negotiations on a possible hostage deal.
Regarding recent events and the continuation of the fighting in the South and the North, former IDF Major General Israel Ziv criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in a recent conversation with Anat Davidov and Udi Segal on 103FM radio.
Ziv also analyzed Hamas's strategic patterns of operation and gave his opinion on the IDF's military strategy.
According to Ziv, "the IDF is not present in the area. The IDF has actually cleared most of the Strip except for the central roads. Its presence in the area is not tight and not everywhere. When we see the repeated raids, it is about Hamas's reorganization, it is not about previous events. When they say that Hamas is exhausted and tired, it's just to portray an image."
"Hamas realized that the apparent advantage they created in setting up a military system against Israel is their biggest disadvantage because it is easier for the IDF to dismantle a system similar to their military system," Ziv explained. "The fighting in Rafah was not like fighting in Gaza City and Khan Yunis. They switched to terrorist guerrilla warfare rather than direct confrontation. Hamas changed its methods, and therefore, our efficiency decreased. There are fewer casualties [among terrorists] than the previous intense fighting."
Ziv later harshly criticized Netanyahu's conduct regarding the ongoing hostage deal negotiations.
"It is quite clear that the prime minister is doing everything in his power to avoid a deal," he said. "Those who want a deal do not publish their conditions in the media. Israel laid out conditions for Hamas that there would be no military weapons or equipment delivered through the Philadelphi Corridor. It seems as if Netanyahu was forced into this deal, not that he, as prime minister of Israel, wants and feels responsible for returning the hostages home. In my view, this is very serious."
The IDF military procedure in the northern arena
Ziv continued, "We are making a separation, but in fact, there has been a two-arena war here for nine months, and they are currently dependent on one another. Purposely escalating military action in the North is a mistake.
"It's not that we can't take Hezbollah. We can make things very difficult for Nasrallah, but Israel will also pay a heavy price in the process. That's why starting up in the North after nine months of war is a mistake. Israel's foundations are not built for years of war. That's why we need to step back and find the right time to attack and deal with Hezbollah fundamentally - when we are ready for it and not dragged into it."
Concluding, Ziv referred to the case in which three people were arrested on suspicion of murdering a Nukhba terrorist, a member of the special forces unit of the military wing of Hamas.
"I don't know all the details, but if these people put themselves at risk, seized weapons, and eliminated terrorists - they should be rewarded, not penalized."
Edited by David Zevuloni for 103FM radio.