Former head of IDF military intelligence Amos Yadlin estimates that Israel and Hamas are unlikely to reach an official ceasefire deal since their respective demands are irreconcilable.
Instead, both sides will likely halt fire in a non-formal truce, he tells Channel 12.
Yadlin says Hamas is seeking to cast itself as the defender of Jerusalem and is demanding an end to the Israeli-Egyptian blockade. It is seeking a commitment that its leaders won’t be attacked by Israel and safe passage between Gaza and the West Bank.
Institute for National Security Studies chairman Amos Yadlin, a former head of IDF Military Intelligence (Tomer Neuberg/ FLASH90)
Israel will not want to agree to any of these conditions, says Yadlin, who is the executive director of Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS).
Israel wants complete quiet, including the cessation of incendiary devices fired from Gaza; the disarming of Gaza, or at least that Hamas not rearm now, the return of the bodies of two IDF soldiers, and freedom for Israeli civilians held in the enclave, says Yadlin.
Is The Times of Israel important to you?
If so, we have a request.
Every day, even during war, our journalists keep you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
We care about Israel - and we know you do too. So today, we have an ask: show your appreciation for our work by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.
Yes, I'll give
Yes, I'll give
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you'll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, May 20, 2021
