IDF chief: Ceasefire deal is ‘ray of light,’ army ‘created the conditions’ for it

During a visit to the Gaza Strip earlier today, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir tells troops that the ceasefire deal with Hamas to free all the hostages, announced today, is thanks to the “achievements of the ground maneuver” in the Gaza Strip.

“The signing of the agreement to return the hostages this morning is a ray of light for all of us and further evidence of the achievements of the ground maneuver. Thanks to significant military pressure and a powerful, high-quality ground maneuver, you, the troops, created the conditions for the hostages to be returned home,” he says in remarks provided by the IDF.

“The military action brought about a political achievement; the achievement is first and foremost yours,” Zamir adds.

Zamir was joined by the chief of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor; chief of the Intelligence Directorate, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder; and chief of the Technological and Logistics Directorate, Maj. Gen. Rami Abudraham.

The IDF says Zamir was briefed on the IDF’s preparations for the deal, which includes pulling back troops to new deployment lines and handling the release of the hostages.

Zamir also stressed that “alongside the agreement, the IDF is committed to maintaining a high level of readiness in all arenas, both in defense and in offense,” the army adds.